The Perfect Catch
by ProphecyMarauder45
Summary: AU. Quidditch star Harry Potter doesn't know what hit him when he meets the mysterious Hermione Granger at the Puddlemere Quidditch Stadium after practice. What he does know is he wants her, and this might just be the most important catch of his life.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story has been sitting in my laptop for months now and I've only just got the courage to post it. Thank you to Untold Harmony, Tyrannicpuppy and Elwin for being my betas. You guys rock!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Alright! That's enough practice, everyone!"

Coach Armond Lewis called out to the team who were still hovering mid-air. "Head on to the locker rooms and get your arses out of here!" He said. He got a chorus of replies then turned to head into his office. One by one the players of the Puddlemere United descended onto the grounds of the quidditch pitch.

"That practice was torture!" Rebecca Dawson, one of the starting chasers, complained as she walked towards the locker rooms.

"You can say that again. Lewis was like a demon out of hell today," Matthew George, one of the beaters said with a groan while he dragged both his broom and his beater bat behind him.

"It wasn't that bad," Harry Potter, the team's seeker and captain, chimed in.

His childhood best friend and Puddlemere's starting keeper, Ronald Weasley, snorted beside him. "Of course it wasn't that bad for you, he wasn't shouting at you the whole time," the keeper said.

"I think he's just really frustrated about the last championships," Prudence Merrell, another chaser, said.

"Well, who wasn't, really?" Ron replied, "We all were—still are! Harry may have caught the snitch but the points just weren't enough. We just gotta do better this coming season."

"And that's why Lewis has been drilling us like there's no tomorrow," Harry said as they entered the locker rooms.

"Well, I'm beat! Thank Merlin we don't have practice tomorrow or I might just fall asleep on my broom in the middle of it!" Frederick Bloomberg, the other beater, shouted as he entered the shower area.

The other players simply laughed or agreed.

After half an hour, most of the players have left the locker room. Only Ron and Harry were the last to remain inside.

"You sure you don't wanna come with me to The Burrow?" Ron asked again.

"I'm sure, Ron," Harry sighed, "I love your family, you know that. But it can get overwhelming there sometimes." Especially when Mrs. Weasley has been dropping hints about settling down for quite some time now, he silently added.

Ron, having known Harry for more than a decade and a half, understood what he didn't say. He simply nodded because he was also dealing with the same thing from his mother. He stood up and clapped Harry on the shoulder before leaving the locker room.

It wasn't that Harry was averse to the idea of settling down. He actually thought it would be nice, he was turning 26 after all, and he knew he should start thinking about it already. But the problem with his fame was that many women only wanted to date THE Harry Potter: The-Boy-Who-Lived, then The-Man-Who-Conquered after his defeat of Voldemort several years back, now Seeker for Puddlemere United and one of the best in the league's history. He hadn't met any woman who wanted to date the man behind the name: just plain, awkward, normal Harry.

He didn't know how long he sat there but he was brought out of his musings when he heard a voice from outside the room. Curious as to who was there, he opened the door and checked the corridor. There, standing by the opening that led to the grounds, was a woman.

"Oh dear, I should have paid more attention to where I was going," he heard the woman state as she turned from right to left.

Harry leant on the door frame, silently watching the woman from behind. He noticed she had curly, brunette hair which was tied in a high ponytail on her head. She was wearing a pale gray coat which ended mid-thigh and he assumed she was wearing a skirt or a dress as her shapely legs were exposed below her coat. And on her feet were black stiletto shoes that always had him wondering how women could manage to walk in them, but they did make their legs look amazing.

Harry chuckled to himself and took pity on the lost woman. He cleared his throat and called out to her, "Hey there. Got lost or something?"

The distraught woman finally turned around and he was thankful he was leaning on something or he would have staggered back as he finally got a good look on her face. Her smile of relief only gave her face a more angelic visage. She had the most beautiful cinnamon-colored eyes he had ever seen, framed by the long dark lashes, a cute little button nose in the middle of her face and her lips. Damn! They were pinkish-red and definitely kissable. He wondered briefly if they were as soft as they looked. Her face had barely any make-up on it and he liked that a lot.

"Oh thank goodness, another human being!" She exclaimed as she ran towards him. How she could run in those things, he would never know. "I've been going back and forth here for the past 15 minutes!" She continued breathlessly. Her voice did funny things to Harry's stomach.

He cleared his throat again."Well, where are you headed?" He asked.

"Uhm," she looked down at the papers in her hand, "I was supposed to go to the Puddlemere United head office and meet with Mr. Gregson."

"Ah, the team owner. You must've taken the lifts down, instead of up," Harry said, pointing upwards with his index finger while wondering what her business was with the owner of Puddlemere United.

"Oh, I knew it!" She uttered, her cheeks got a hint of blush, probably from embarrassment.

He laughed as he stood straight and started leading her towards the direction of the lifts. "You just need to go back to the lifts and press UD—that's for the upper deck—where the offices are. They're on top of the audience stands."

"Thank you so much! I've never been here before and I thought I was going to be lost forever!" She said as she got into one of the lifts.

"Thanks again!" She exclaimed as the doors closed, the lift taking her to the higher floors. That's when Harry realized that he didn't even get her name. Idiot, he berated himself. Well, he thought, if she had business with Mr. Gregson then he was bound to bump into her again sometime.. I just hope it's sooner rather than later, he told himself, as he took his duffel bag from the locker room and headed to the nearest apparition point so he could apparate home.

* * *

"All seems to be going well. We're looking forward to the party, Ms. Granger," Orpheus Gregson said, holding out his hand towards her.

"We are very excited, as well, sir," Hermione Granger replied, as she tried her best to keep her expression as professional as possible. "Thank you so much for hiring our company to plan this event."

Mr. Gregson gave her a smile and a nod. "Well, your company was referred to me with the highest recommendations and I'm glad to see that everything I was told is true. I will see you and Ms. Ackleman at the party, then." He stood up and left the conference room, along with his secretary, who also gave her a smile.

Hermione let out a breath before breaking into a huge smile. Margarethe was going to be so happy that Mr. Gregson was satisfied with their plans for the Puddlemere United Annual Quidditch Season Opening Party. She was overjoyed that Margarethe got her on board for this event. Between managing her bookshop, The Bookend, co-owning and working part-time at Margarethe's event organizing company, The Magic Touch, and with the chaos at home, she definitely got her hands full at the moment. But, she was loving every minute of it. Hermione collected all the documents and photos she showed Mr. Gregson and proceeded to leave the office.

While she waited by the lift, she finally had a moment to think about her 'saviour'. She almost smacked herself on the head when she belatedly realized that it was the ever-famous Harry Potter. Of course, he didn't have to introduce himself to her because she would recognize those deep green eyes and that tousled, just-got-out-of-bed raven hair anywhere. Now that she wasn't lost and distressed about almost missing her appointment, she thought about how good-looking he was as he stood there, leaning against the door and smiling at her. And she didn't even get to introduce herself! Another reason to smack herself on the head. There she was, probably having a once-in-a-lifetime moment with the most famous wizard of their time and she never got to give him her name, not that he asked her for it, either. As the lift doors opened, she stepped inside and sighed. Oh well, she thought to herself, I doubt he'll remember me if we ever saw each other again. Hermione decided that she would keep that encounter as one of those good memories she can look back to on a good day as she walked out of the Quidditch pitch so she could apparate to The Magic Touch.

* * *

"Thanks again for helping out, Hermione," Margarethe Ackleman told Hermione for what seemed like the hundredth time since she agreed to work part-time for The Magic Touch.

"And as I've told you—like the hundred other times I've done this—Margarethe, it's nothing. I'm your partner in this business, just like you are a partner in mine, so no need to thank me," she replied with a teasing smile.

"But I know you've got your elbows deep in The Bookend and at home. Another job seemed like too much, especially since your bookshop is doing quite well now," Margarethe said. What her friend said brought another smile to her face. The Bookend had indeed been doing well for a while now and become a source of pride and happiness for her.

"And that's why I could do this job and have The Bookend at the same time," Hermione responded as she arranged some papers on one of the filing cabinets in Margarethe's office, "I have Alice and Stephen manning the bookshop. Besides, they're just next door so I can check up on things there and do my work here anytime I want."

"I just don't want you burning out, Hermione," she said as she threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders, concern evident on her face. Hermione looked up at her beautiful friend. Margarethe—with her blue eyes, short blonde hair that reached just a little under her chin, tall nose and full lips, her slender and statuesque figure that belonged more on a runway than in an office—many had wondered how she ended up being best friends with the biggest nerd in town. Many do not realize that behind that beautiful face was a sharp and brilliant mind. She had known Margarethe since their first days in Beauxbatons. She had been there for Hermione through the darkest days of her life and she couldn't have asked for a better friend. So when Margarethe decided to move to London a little over two years ago, she decided to move with her. They had helped each other with setting up and starting their businesses at the same time. While Hermione worked at her bookshop full-time, more often than not, she usually helped out at Margarethe's business whenever she had big events coming up, although she also had her own staff. Margarethe would also help out at The Bookend, especially during summer, when the school year was about to start.

"Don't worry about me, Margarethe. I'm perfectly fine and I can handle everything," she told her friend, trying her best to assuage her concerns.

"Well, of course. You're Ms. Super Witch! Brightest Witch Of Our Age!" she teased.

Hermione laughed. "Yes, well, you know that at a certain point in my life, I wasn't all that bright."

Margarethe was glad that her friend can finally laugh at what happened in her past, so she laughed too. "Even at your most 'unbright' moment, you were still brighter than most of the students at Beauxbatons combined!"

"You can say that again!" Both women laughed again as they continued to do their work for the biggest event they had ever organized to date.

* * *

They had booked the largest ballroom of the Hôtel de Magnifique, the classiest and most expensive hotel in Magical London. The interiors were made in French Baroque style with golden metal works decorating the cream-coloured walls and ceilings in intricate designs. The floors were tiled marble in white and grey while the ceiling was painted with various imageries. A large chandelier hung at the middle of the ceiling and several smaller chandeliers also hung intermittently around the ballroom. The party had been in full swing for the past hour or so and everything was still in order. Food had been prepared and served perfectly, the drinks were flowing endlessly (which would surely result in a lot of drunken witches and wizards, to which Margarethe and Hermione had already foreseen and they made sure that a means of safe transport for each person to their chosen destination would be available), the music was top-notch, and it seemed like everyone was having a good time. Mr. Gregson had the party organized annually to celebrate the Puddlemere United Quidditch team and to welcome the upcoming Quidditch season, which started in a month's time, and also raise donations for the charities that he and team supported.

After circling the ballroom to make sure everything was still in order, Hermione made a pit stop at the bar and spoke to the bartenders. She passed along compliments from some of the attendees about the delicious cocktails being served. She joked that they should keep on making the guests drink so they would be less inhibited and end up giving more money to the charities. As the bartenders moved about to serve other clients, Hermione took a moment to sit at one of the stools by the bar so she could catch a bit of a break. She could feel her shoes slowly but surely killing her feet, but such is the price to pay for an event of this kind. As much as she wanted to be in her comfy pyjamas, loose shirt, and woolly socks, she had to dress up for this extravagant event. She was just observing the mingling crowd when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"I hope you're not lost again."

Hermione turned her seat around and came face to face with none other than Harry Potter. She couldn't help her eyes as they swept along his body. He was wearing a muggle tuxedo underneath his wizarding robes. Hmm, interesting choice, she thought, since almost everyone in the ballroom was wearing wizard dress robes. And the blackness of his tux and robes served only to highlight those captivating green eyes, which seemed to be sweeping along her body, as well. She was surprised at the heat that blossomed in her, beginning from her core, with just that look in his eyes. Oh sure, Harry Potter was quite a good-looking man (he could possibly be the most gorgeous man in the whole room) and to be the recipient of his attentions took her breath away. But it also confused her, because there were other, more beautiful women at the event and she was so sure he'd have forgotten about her by now. It had been weeks since their rather brief encounter at the Puddlemere United Quidditch Stadium and she wondered if he sought her out after he saw her sitting by the bar.

For the second time in a few short weeks, Harry was taken aback by those golden-brown eyes when they rested upon him. It never occurred to him that he would see her tonight, but when he was looking around aimlessly at the crowd and saw her sitting by the bar, he knew that, somehow, fate had brought them both here for some reason or another. She was wearing a simple black cocktail dress with thin straps on her shoulders that wrapped around her ample curves. The skirt of the dress rode a bit high on her thigh as she had her shapely legs crossed. On her feet were the same black stilettos she wore when they 'met' weeks ago. Her brown hair was styled on top of her head, with some curls cascading down, lightly touching her face and neck. He realized that she was surprised that he was speaking to her, which made him wonder why. She composed herself rather swiftly and gave him a self-conscious smile before answering.

"Uhm, no," she said, chuckling, "I'm not lost again."

"Too bad. I would have been glad to help you with directions again," he teased.

She laughed out loud, and he liked the sound of her laughter. "Don't worry, I know my way around this place. Probably better than you do," she teased back.

He simply smiled at her and held out his hand, "I'm Harry Potter, by the way."

She took his hand and shook it firmly, although he did notice how soft and delicate her hand was.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter. I'm Hermione Granger," she responded with a smile of her own. He reluctantly released her hand but he moved to stand beside her at the bar. Harry signalled at the bartender and ordered one Butterbeer. He turned towards her with a smile and said, "Just call me Harry, please. Would you like anything?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, thank you. I'm perfectly content with my gilly water at the moment," showing him the drink in her hand on the bar.

When Harry finally had his drink, he took a swig of it before he spoke again. "So, are you here with anyone?" He tried his best to keep the question nonchalant but his heart was beating quite fast as he waited for her answer. He wanted to know if she was here as anyone's date.

She turned to him with a smile but she shook her head.

"No, I'm actually working tonight."

Harry grew a bit wary with her answer. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Working? Are you with the press?"

Hermione's eyes went wide, "Oh Merlin's beard, no! Goodness, those reporters are vultures." She almost spat the word as if it was venom.

"Not a fan of them, I see," he teased but he also felt relieved that she wasn't a reporter. He could tell by her tone that she had great disdain for them.

"Not particularly," she replied with a roll of her eyes, "These days, they would rather write about sensationalism than the truth. Just because sensationalism sells more copies."

Harry nodded."That, I have to agree with. Been on the receiving end of those sensationalized stories one too many times in my lifetime."

Hermione's eyes became soft and tender as she spoke. "It must be hard, being scrutinized by the media all the time."

He stared at her warm, golden-honey eyes and felt himself getting lost in them. It took him a while to realize that she had said something and tried to bring his mind back to their conversation.

"They're not usually that bad. I just hate it when they try to pry into my personal life," he said, and paused to drink his Butterbeer. "You can talk about the past war or my Quidditch statistics all you want, but stay the hell out of my personal life."

Hermione nodded. "I know what you mean. It's none of their business, what you do outside of the pitch. That's yours and yours alone."

He smiled at her, his heart swelling at her understanding. He was about to ask her if she wanted to go outside when a blonde-haired woman approached them who didn't seem to notice him.

"Ugh! I am so ready to kick off my shoes! My feet are killing me!" She exclaimed as she reached the bar and asked the bartender for a drink.

Hermione laughed at her friend. Harry smiled at the melodious sound. He could see that her laughter was open and carefree, and he liked it very much.

"That's why I'm sitting here," she gave him a playful look before turning back to her friend. "I think my feet have died some time ago."

"And we still have a few hours left of this gig," her friend replied before turning towards them and that's when she noticed Harry standing there. Her eyes went so wide, Harry hilariously thought they were going to bug out of their sockets. Then she began to blush as she realized he must have heard their whole exchange, to which Hermione didn't seem bothered by at all.

"Uhm, Hermione," her friend whispered, her eyes still on Harry. "Was Harry Potter standing there beside you the whole time?"

Hermione tried to keep herself from laughing and gave him another impish look before turning back towards her friend. "I believe he was," she relied slyly. The look she gave him caused heat to go through his body, and he tried his best not to shiver visibly.

He decided to introduce himself to Hermione's friend. "Hi, I'm Harry," he held out his right hand." So you work with Hermione?" He asked.

This snapped the woman out of her stupor and shook his hand firmly. "Yes, I do. I'm Margarethe Ackleman. How did you two know each other, then?" Margarethe was looking at them both, one eyebrow raised. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and smiled. Hermione nodded towards him, gesturing to him that he tell the story.

"Hermione got herself lost at the Puddlemere Quidditch Pitch. Instead of going up to the offices, she ended up downstairs by the locker rooms. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I was there, so I helped her out," he answered.

"Really. Well, Hermione seemed to have forgotten to mention that to me." Margarethe turned towards Hermione and gave her a look he couldn't interpret but the other woman seemed to have understood what it meant because there was a growing telltale redness on her cheeks.

"I must have forgotten to tell you about it because we were so busy organizing this party," Hermione explained. She then turned to Harry. "Actually, Margarethe here owns the company who organized this event."

"Really? Well, I must say, you've done an awesome job on this party. Definitely better than last year," he said with a smile.

"Oh, I'm glad you think so! Thank you for that! What my friend failed to mention is that she owns half of the company," she laughed. "Well, I must get back to work. Someone might be in need of a refill of their drinks," Margarethe said.

"I'll come with you," Hermione replied as she stood from the barstool.

"Actually," Harry rushed in, "I was wondering if you wanted to go outside and walk around the grounds with me for a bit."

"Oh," Hermione blushed. "That's sweet of you to ask but we have work—"

Margarethe's eyebrows shot up as she turned to her and grabbed her shoulders as she pushed her towards Harry's direction.

"Everything's fine! I can handle it for now," she said, a clear warning in her eyes. "Go ahead and spend some time with Harry."

"But—"

"Besides, the party isn't going to fall apart while you're gone. It's going to be fine, I promise," Margarethe continued. She had already placed Hermione's hand in Harry's, then started to walk away from them.

"But—"

"I'll see you later!" she waved over her shoulder then promptly vanished among the crowds.

Hermione belatedly realized that Harry was still holding her hand. She looked down at their joined hands then looked up at him shyly. He gave her a devastatingly handsome smile. She felt herself blushing even more. He then took her hand with his other hand and placed it at the crook of his arm, as he led her towards one of the french doors that led to the grounds.

"I kind of feel bad for skiving off work," Hermione said after they walked around the surrounding gardens of the hotel in silence for a few minutes.

"You're not skiving off. You're doing your job in keeping your guests happy and entertained," Harry replied, looking down at her with a mischievous smile.

"I don't think that meant just one guest," she replied, laughing.

"I'm sure it's fine. You do have your boss' permission and it's not like you're abandoning them for the rest of the night. It's just for a few minutes and I promise to bring you back," he assured her with a wink.

"Oh alright," she conceded. She took a deep breath then looked up towards the darkened sky. "It is a nice night, though. The skies are clear so you can see a lot of stars."

Harry imitated her and looked up as well. It was a nice night; it wasn't too chilly nor was it too hot. The temperature was just right for a night stroll with a beautiful woman.

"It is," he said. "So, tell me about you."

Hermione chuckled. "There's nothing much to tell, really."

"Oh, I don't think so. I can tell there's a compelling story in those caramel eyes of yours," he said.

She blushed at his description of her eyes and she looked at him shyly. "Oh, not really. Unless you want to ruin your night."

"Very well, not tonight then. But you're going to have to tell me your life story one of these days."

She laughed. "I'm telling you, my life is not that interesting."

"I seriously doubt that. Okay, so I'll just ask you a bunch of questions. Bit like 20 questions," Harry couldn't explain it but he felt the need to know more about her. He was enjoying his time with Hermione, even when they were just walking in silence. He didn't feel like he needed to fill the silence with small talk and he knew she felt the same. It was a new and refreshing feeling.

"Are you sure you're a quidditch player and not a reporter?" She teased him, a playful smile on her dark red lips.

He laughed. "Maybe I'm working as a part-time reporter, getting the scoop on the behind-the-scenes of parties like this."

Hermione also laughed. "Oh you'd be terribly bored with the details in organizing events like this."

"I honestly find it quite interesting. Bringing different components together then get everything working in perfect symphony required real work. I'm sure it's a hell of an accomplishment to pull off an event as big as this and make it a success. I know it's not as easy as it looks," he said thoughtfully.

Hermione was astonished by his thoughtfulness. Yes, event organizing wasn't easy and working on one required tedious attention and long hours but seeing it all come together, like the party that night, was well worth it. She gave him a grateful smile. "You nailed that on the head. It's not easy, let me tell you. But seeing people enjoy the work we've done makes everything worth our while. Of course, we're getting paid for it so it's not that bad."

Harry laughed at her last statement then asked. "So how did you end up working with Margarethe and her company?"

"Margarethe and I have been best friends since we were children when we started at Beauxbatons. Imagine my surprise when this beautiful eleven-year-old walked up to me and just out of the blue told me, 'Starting today, we are going to be best friends,'" she reminisced fondly, "After finishing school, she went on to work for one of the well-known robemakers in Paris while I worked a desk job at the French Ministry. Through her work, she was able to attend events and got to talk to suppliers and event organizers. That's when she realized she wanted to do that more than designing and sewing robes. About two years ago, she said she wanted to move here and start her business. I didn't even hesitate. I packed everything I owned and moved here with her. And now we're here."

"See? That wasn't boring at all! It was quite brave of you and Margarethe to just pack up and leave your established lives in France to start over in a foreign land," Harry said, his awe clear in his voice as he looked at her.

Hermione shrugged. "Oh it wasn't easy, but we had each other so it wasn't all bad."

"So," he cleared his voice, "no Mr. Granger to help with the move?"

She gave him a casual look but he could see a blush on her lovely cheeks.

"Oh dear, no," she shook her head. "There's no Mr. Granger ever. Just me, Margarethe and—" she abruptly stopped.

He caught her hesitance, "And?"

Hermione gave him a tight smile and shook her head. He wondered, who could she had been talking about if she wasn't married? He decided he wouldn't push her tonight, but he would definitely find out later.

"Aren't you going to ask me anything about myself?" He asked her teasingly.

She laughed. "Oh, I've read a lot about you."

"I thought you didn't trust the sensationalism the journalists wrote about me?" He replied, feigning disappointment.

"I said I read a lot about you, doesn't mean I believed all of it," she retorted.

"But you believed some?" He inquired.

"Not really. Speak as you find, I always believe. I'm not much for gossip and rumours. I'm a creature of fact and research, so I basically ignore anything that's just hearsay or without proof," she answered.

"Speak as you find," he repeated, rolling the phrase in his mind. "I like that a lot."

She beamed at him and her smile caused his stomach to do somersaults. He had never felt this way about any woman he'd just met or even dated before. He decided to put that aside from his mind for the moment.

Conversation flowed freely between the two as they continued their walk. He then noticed that they had circled the gardens and were nearing the doors they exited earlier. It felt that their time together had been too short. They stopped walking when a messenger spell approached them as he was about to speak.

"Hermione dear, can you check the west food station? There's a guest there who's being unreasonable about the food not being vegan," Margarethe's voice rang out of the floating spell before it dissipated. They could hear the disdain in her voice which made Harry snicker.

Hermione turned to him, her eyes apologetic and shy. "Duty calls, I'm afraid. I guess I have to go in now. Thank you for inviting me to walk around the gardens." Harry caught her wrist as she began walking towards the door, making her turn back to him with a questioning look.

"I would like to see you again," he said, his voice calm and steady, never betraying the nerves he was feeling at the act of asking her on a date. "Would you like to have dinner with me this week?"

Her face adopted a surprised look before it turned sad. She took a deep breath and spoke, "I had a lovely time with you tonight, Harry. But I'm going to have to decline."

It was Harry's turn to be surprised. "But why? You just said you enjoyed our time together."

"I did, but the only thing I can say right now is that the timing is off. You're starting your quidditch season soon and I'm elbows deep in my work and home life," she replied, not meeting his eyes. Hermione shook her head and looked up at him."I really must go. I hope you enjoy the rest of the party." She gave him a smile then hurriedly turned towards the doors.

"But—"

She was gone by the time he realized he'd stood rooted to the same spot for a couple of minutes. It wasn't his ego speaking but that was the first time someone said no to him when he asked them out. After the surprise had worn off, a huge smile began to grow on his face. If Hermione Granger thought that her rejection had put him off, well, she had another thing going. It only made him want her more. And Harry Potter was nothing but determined.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione arrived at _The Bookend_ early the next morning after the Puddlemere United party. Her store didn't open for another two hours so she had some time to herself even before her staff came in for the day. She sat down in her office to go through the mail she had missed yesterday since she didn't drop by the shop the whole day. She then reviewed the inventory report she had asked Alice to complete so they can place orders for low-stock titles and newly published books that had been recently released. It took her an hour to finish reviewing everything and she had begun writing down order forms when there was a knock on her office door. She looked up and saw Alice standing by the door frame, a cup of coffee-to-go in her left hand.

"Good morning, Alice! Come in!" She gestured for the younger woman to enter her office. Alice gave her a smile, walked into the room, and took one of the seats in front of Hermione's desk.

"Good morning, Hermione! I'm surprised you're in quite early today, considering there was an event last night," Alice said, a gentle smile on her face. "It would have been fine with Stephen and I if you took the day off. I'm sure the party ended quite late."

"Oh I know you and Stephen can run this place perfectly without me," she replied with a laugh. "Ethan had an early football practice this morning so instead of lounging about at home, I just went straight here after I dropped him off. Besides, I've been gone a lot these past weeks because of the event. I kinda feel bad about it."

"You could still get a few hours of sleep in here," Alice offered. "Besides, we know how busy it could get whenever _The Magic Touch_ gets these big events. It's perfectly fine. Between there and here, you work too hard as it is."

Hermione looked at the younger woman in front of her, appreciating her concern. Alice Hooper was fresh out of Hogwarts when she applied for work at her bookshop a year ago. Stephen was already working for her for a couple of months by then and when she met Alice, she knew she had found a kindred spirit in her. With her dark brown hair cut in a pixie style, ocean blue eyes and her lithe physique due to her quidditch career in Hogwarts, people tended to assume she didn't belong in a bookshop. But then she would surprise them with a display of her intelligence that had put her in the famed Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts. Hermione knew that's the house that prized intelligence above all, having read _Hogwarts, A History_ a couple of times before. She would have gone to Hogwarts as well, had her parents not decided to move to France when she was around nine years old. Not for the first time, she had wondered which Hogwarts house she would have ended up in.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Besides, I'll be picking up Ethan after his practice so I'll be leaving earlier, anyway."

"Alright," Alice conceded. "So tell me, how was the party last night? Met any gorgeous quidditch player?" She wagged her eyebrows at Hermione, a teasing smirk on her face.

It was fortunate that Hermione wasn't in the process of drinking her morning tea or she would have spewed the liquid all over her desk and at Alice. She could feel the intense blush crawling from her neck to her cheeks. She began fixing the documents on her desk so she wouldn't have to face her employee but Alice already noticed the redness on her cheeks.

Alice laughed at her boss. " Oh you did! You're red as a tomato right now! Tell me, who was it? Was it Robinson Puck? Or was it Harry Potter?"

Hermione still could not look at the younger woman. "Uhm. Last night was so hectic! I was too busy to meet anyone."

"You know you can't lie to save your life."

She finished fixing the papers on her desk so she couldn't find any more excuses to stall, she sighed before leaning back on her leather chair. "Oh fine! I met Harry Potter last night. Mind you, I already met him a few weeks ago at their quidditch stadium, so I didn't technically 'meet' him last night."

"How exciting! Is he as gorgeous in person as the photos in the papers and magazines?" the younger woman inquired excitedly.

"He's actually more good-looking in person. He was incredibly nice and was such a gentleman," Hermione said. She barely kept herself from swooning, which was ridiculous, because she had never swooned over a man before. She remembered the way he placed her hand on his arm as they took a walk around the gardens. Whenever she spoke, he looked directly at her and listened to her intently. She realized that he showed genuine interest in the things she spoke about and had not once made her feel bad about her love of books or her intelligence. It was the first time where she felt comfortable to be just herself and not worry about what the other person thought of her.

"Earth to Hermione!" Alice said in a sing-song voice as she waved her hand in front of her face to try and get her attention.

"Oh! I'm sorry, got a bit lost there," she said with a guilty smile.

"So I've noticed," Alice remarked with a wry grin. "You can be forgiven for being lost in a daydream about Harry Potter. He is quite dreamy."

Hermione laughed. "That, he is. Truly. I've never met a man quite like him," she admitted and the blush on her face remained.

"So? What happened that gave you that goofy smile on your face?" The younger woman inquired eagerly. Hermione smiled at her friend. She might be several years younger but Hermione considered Alice to be one of her dearest friends and knew she would not tell anyone anything she said.

"He invited me to walk around the gardens of the hotel," she began, deliberately prolonging the suspense and it amused her to watch Alice bounce in her seat in anticipation.

"And?" She prompted when Hermione didn't continue speaking and took her time as she drank her tea.

"And we just talked," she said, as casually as she could with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, what did you talk about?"

"Random things, really. Our careers, our schools, among other things," she reminisced. "But we had to cut our walk short because there was an emergency at one of the food stations. One of the guests was complaining about the food not being vegan-friendly, when in fact, half of the dishes we chose were vegan." Hermione rolled her eyes as she remembered the irate man and how he was told off by one of the chefs since half of the dishes were, in fact, vegan, and he would have realized that if only he read the labels beside each dish. She had to refrain from laughing at the red-faced man when he walked away in embarrassment but she gave the chef a subtle thumbs up.

Alice rolled her eyes at that but the excited expression on her face returned. "So did Harry Potter ask to see you again?"

_This girl has a one-track mind, _Hermione scoffed internally. "He did."

"And what did you say? Did you say yes?"

"I said it wasn't a good idea."

"WHAT?! _Why_?!" Alice asked, shocked.

"I said the timing was off and I don't have time to date," Hermione shrugged.

"That's a load of bullshite, Hermione," Alice rolled her eyes again.

"It really isn't, you of all people know that. Between _The Bookend, The Magic Touch_ and Ethan, I don't have much time left for myself, much less for meeting and dating men, especially ones that are famous. I can't even get started on taking my mastery because I'm swamped right now," Hermione said with a frown. She had planned on taking a mastery in Charms and Spell Development after she graduated from Beauxbatons but had to postpone it when her life turned upside down before the end of her fifth year.

"Again, that's a load of bullshite. You know you _need_ to have some time for yourself and have some fun, or else you're going to burn yourself out," Alice said, repeating the same sentiments Margarethe expressed a few weeks ago.

"I can't _afford_ to have 'fun,'" Hermione retorted with her fingers gesturing in the air.

"So what, you're going to wait until you're too old to start dating again?" Alice asked incredulously.

"It's not like I haven't dated before, I have tried the whole dating thing. And I'm quite tired of the whole getting-to-know-you routine of dating just for the whole thing end. Most men just couldn't handle the baggage I have."

"Hermione, you can't be serious. You can't let your life revolve around work and Ethan. You've got to have your own life, as well," Alice said pleadingly. Hermione understood her friend's worries. She's not even the first one to express such concern, since Margarethe had been saying the same thing to her for years already. The few times she did date, she already expected the relationship to end prematurely. It's not like she lacked admirers and suitors, they simply didn't interest her enough or they didn't date long enough for them to stick around.

Until Harry Potter.

And that scared her. In the few minutes she spent with him, she felt like he already knew her for so long, and she, him. He was so easy to talk to, with his dry wit and profound understanding, that she felt comfortable with him. She had never felt that way about anyone she had only just met and that was one of the reasons why she refused his invitation to dinner. When the messenger spell arrived, it had burst the bubble she was in and her reality had come crashing around her. She had no business spending time and taking romantic walks around gardens with an admittedly gorgeous and fascinating man. Harry Potter could have any woman he wanted and she was sure that once he found out about the massive baggage she carried around, he would need his broomstick to get away from her as fast as he could.

—

Harry slowly emerged from the land of dreams on a large king-size bed, in the room provided to the team by the hotel. The Puddlemere Team management didn't want their players to apparate while intoxicated because that may cause some accidents. He stared at the ceiling of his room and the sunlight peeking through the closed windows told him it's already late in the morning. He began to think and reminisce about the events that happened the night before.

He wasn't the type of bloke who slept around (mainly due to his fame as the man who ended Voldemort's reign of terror and his quidditch career, but also because he found it crass to stick his cock in everything that moves in a skirt, like what some of his teammates and peers did) but he was, after all, of the male species so he did sometimes indulge himself to a willing woman once in a while. This was not one of those instances. A year ago, he had a warm, willing body with him in bed the morning after the same party. But after last night, after those few stolen moments with a certain Ms. Granger, he didn't even look at the other women in attendance. Not even the most scantily clad women at the party, who were practically throwing themselves at him, gave him a minute's pause. He simply ignored them in favor of looking at Hermione from afar. He couldn't stop watching her as she was a sight to behold while she worked. She was gracious, patient and was not afraid to get her hands dirty if she needed to. She always had a ready smile for everyone and even if she was far from him, he could hear her laughter in his mind whenever he saw her laugh. He didn't dare approach her again because he knew she would just scamper away and find a way to escape him. So he just settled on watching her work and move about the large ballroom. He knew she knew he was watching her because she caught him looking at her several times during the night. He smiled internally because that meant she was looking for him as well. She was definitely different from all the women he had met and dated before, and he knew he will regret it for the rest of his life if he simply let her go now.

Having made up his mind regarding the mysterious brunette, he looked at the clock on the nightstand beside the bed. It was a little after 10 in the morning. Thankfully, their coach didn't schedule any training that day as he knew his players would be up until the wee hours of the morning, drinking and partying. He stood up and made his way to the bathroom to do his morning business.

Half an hour later, he had showered and was ready to go. He decided to leave the hotel early to do some of his errands and maybe visit his godson, whom he hadn't seen in weeks. He made sure all of his things were already packed in his overnight bag then left the hotel room.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter! How are you this morning?" The hotel receptionist greeted him when he reached the front desk.

"Good morning. I'd like to check out, please," he replied as he gave the man the keycard to his room.

"Of course, sir. Just give me a few minutes." The receptionist then proceeded to do the check out transaction. As Harry waited, he took a moment to observe the hotel lobby. It was quite a lavish hotel, with walls covered in white paint and gold metal accents. The floor was all white marble with some carpets interspersed underneath extravagant couches for waiting guests. To the left of the front desk, where Harry came from, was where the lifts and the entrance to the hotel's restaurant and bar were located. To the right was a hallway leading to the ballrooms. Hermione's smiling face came unbidden in his mind as he saw the closed doors of the ballroom where the event was held the night before. He wondered how he could get in touch with her as he realized he didn't even remember to ask for her contact number.

_I bet the team's management can help me there, _he mused.

"Everything's been settled already, Mr. Potter," the receptionist said as he returned.

"Great! Thanks a lot," he replied as he picked up his duffel bag from the floor.

"You're most welcome, sir. We hope to see you again at our hotel."

Harry tipped the muggle baseball cap he was wearing and gave the man behind the front desk a small wave. He turned towards the exit. When he reached the apparition point, he apparated straight home.

— — —

"Hey Harry, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on your day off today?" Lavender Brown, Orpheus Gregson's secretary and his Hogwarts classmate, asked in surprise when she saw him approach her.

"Hi, Lav. How about you? You were at the party last night, too. I'm sure you had a late night, as well," Harry replied with a smile when he stopped in front of her desk.

Lavender waved her hand abstractly, "I had to finish some paperwork that Mr. Gregson needs by next week. And I'll be gone for a few days so I want everything done before then."

He observed her for a few seconds, remembering the giggly blonde back in Hogwarts. She was definitely pretty, with her wavy blonde hair, large blue eyes, and a fair complexion. Her to-die-for curves were every man's fantasy, though Harry felt strangely immune to them. It was probably because he considered her one of his good friends and he was glad to see her settle well in her job with Puddlemere United. She was smart and competent, despite her being quite a gossip, which he was planning to exploit a bit in the next few minutes.

"Oh, right! You're going to Greece. Maybe I should take a few days before the season starts, too," he said thoughtfully.

"I'd like to see you try and ask for Armond's permission this close to the start of the season," she laughed.

"We'll see. Actually," he took a deep breath, "I need a bit of help."

She nodded, "If I can. With what?"

"I'm sure you know who organized the party last night," he began.

"Of course! The event organizer was the company called_ The Magic Touch_! They were recommended to Mr. Gregson. I was the one who contacted them and coordinated with them regarding the party. Why? Do you have a party that needed organizing?" she inquired.

"N—actually, yeah. Something like that. So I need to know how to get in contact with them about it," he lied. He pocketed his hands to keep them from fidgeting. He hoped she didn't catch his bald-faced lie. For some reason, he didn't want her to know why he needed to contact them.

"Well, their office is at the new lane, Pentagon Alley, just beyond Diagon Alley," Lavender turned her swivel chair and searched for something in one of the drawers behind her. When she found what she was looking for, she turned back towards Harry. She waved her wand and made a copy of what looked like a business card in her hand.

"Here's their address and their phone number. Thank Merlin someone finally made phones work here. It was so much easier to talk over the phone than owls," she said as she gave Harry the copy of the business card.

"Thanks a lot for this, Lav!" He couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as he looked down on the card in his hand.

"U-huh. Just make sure to invite me to whatever party you're planning on having," she said with her eyebrow raised, but there was a smile on her face.

He guessed he'd have to have a party for real or else, Lavender would give him a hard time about it. Lavender _loved_ parties.

He nodded, "Sure. I'll let you know the details once it's planned." He gave her a smile and a wave goodbye before heading back to the lifts. Now, what he needed was a game plan.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry appeared at one of the designated apparition points in Pentagon Alley. The lane was opened about three years ago when the community had been steadily growing and several new businesses had begun opening. The number of them could not be accommodated along Diagon Alley anymore so the British Ministry of Magic had opted to open a new alley. It was a success and the new businesses had helped in bolstering the magical community's economy in recent years. The assortment of booming businesses owned by purebloods, half-bloods, and muggleborns integrated well together, and he was glad to see that the blood purity bigotry was a thing of the past. He didn't fight the war against Voldemort just for the discrimination and fanaticism of those beliefs to survive to this day. Of course, there were still those who tried to propagate the sanctity of purebloods but they were few and not a lot of people bought into the propaganda anymore.

He strolled down the lively lane, passing by shop after shop, some he had visited before and some he made a mental note to check out some other time. He checked the card in his hand again as he read the signs on the storefronts. Some were animated and moving, some even sang or talked to the patrons strolling along the busy street. He made an abrupt stop as he felt a certain pull that came from the bookshop on his right. He turned to look at the window of the store with the name _The Bookend_ printed across the glass. People were moving back and forth beyond the glass, books tucked under their arms or heads bowed as they browsed books from rows and rows of shelves. He didn't know why but he felt a certain calmness and comfort from the store. He took a step forward, intending to check out the bookshop when a voice called out from his left.

"Harry?"

He turned his head towards the vaguely familiar voice and saw Margarethe Ackleman, Hermione's friend and co-owner of_ The Magic Touch_, standing at the door beside the bookshop. He glanced briefly above her to confirm that this was the office of her business. He changed directions and walked towards Margarethe instead of the bookshop. With a smile, he greeted the blonde woman.

"Hello, Margarethe. How are you today? Already recovered from the craziness from last night?" He teased.

"Still a little knackered but I'm used to it. It's all part of the job. Why were you just standing over there?"

He turned his head to where he was standing previously, looked at the bookshop for a few seconds then turned back to Margarethe.

"I was just thinking," he answered evasively. He still wasn't sure what it was that happened back there. He continued, hoping to distract her. "Actually, I was looking for your office!"

"Really? Oh, where are my manners? We're just standing here by the door. Come in, please!" Margarethe opened the door then held it so he can follow her in, as well.

The first thing Harry noticed about the office was that it felt very cozy. There were light-coloured wood panel floors and on the left side of the room was a long, rectangular table that could fit at least eight people. There were several people seated around and talking. _Must be clients with the staff_, he thought. Behind them were several shelves filled with books, several plants, and other knick-knacks. Next to it was a high, wooden table nestled against the wall with five high chairs. There was a bar at the end of the room, with a magical icebox and contraptions he recognized that were used to make coffee and other drinks. Two shelves lined the wall behind the bar with one layer filled with mugs and glasses. The one above it contained liquor of different kinds. This made him smile. On the right side of the room was a sitting area with comfortable, mismatched couches and armchairs; a coffee table in the middle with magazines; more plants; and books on top. Beyond that was a long counter table that looked like the receptionist's area, and it seemed it was used as a barrier to close off the back part of the room. There was a door on the right wall behind the desk and a set of stairs that led upstairs, which he assumed led to their main office, beside the door. The walls were white-painted bricks with interspersed framed quotes and artworks. Live plants were also hung and scattered around the room, giving it a refreshing and relaxing feel.

After his quick assessment of the place, he smiled at Margarethe and said, "I like your office."

She smiled as well, a look of undisguised pride and joy in her eyes as she looked around the office. "Thanks, Hermione and I designed it. We wanted a place where people would feel welcome and be comfortable while we talk about events organizing and other businesses."

At the mention of Hermione, he then remembered why he was there in the first place.

"Speaking of—" he began.

Margarethe sighed, cutting him off, "And here I thought you're here to have a party planned." She chuckled and gave him an amused and teasing look. "So, you're here for Hermione, yes?"

Harry blushed and he cursed himself for acting like a schoolboy getting caught having a crush on a girl. He wove his fingers through his hair, tried to shrug nonchalantly then gave her a self-deprecating smile.

"She left abruptly after she got your messenger spell while we were outside and I kinda got the sense she was avoiding me after that," he said.

"Why would she avoid you? Did you do something to offend her?" He detected the barely hidden threat in her tone which made him both nervous and wary but also liking the woman because he could see the protectiveness and concern she had for her friend.

"I don't think I did anything to offend her, actually," he said, putting his hands up in a defensive pose. "Before she left, I asked her if she would have dinner with me. She, uh, she said no," he explained.

He saw understanding dawn on Margarethe's face then an expression of annoyance replaced it. He wasn't sure if the woman was annoyed at him for asking her friend out on a date with him but she quickly quashed his growing worry when she spoke.

"Oh, that blasted woman! I ought to shake some sense into her," she said under her breath. It seemed she was talking more to herself than to Harry. She looked up and gave him a smile. "Why don't you wait here and I'll look for her so you can talk to her?"

Harry nodded in response. "Look for her where? She's not here?"

"Oh, she's at the bookshop next door. She owns it," she said, before walking away and exiting the door behind the counter. He realized the man sitting behind the counter (most likely their receptionist) was staring at him with wide eyes, probably recognizing him and was wondering why he was all chummy with his boss. Harry decided to walk around and looked closely at the various items spread around the office. Photographs of people in different sizes, a mix of muggle and magical, were hung on the wall behind the couches in a montage he assumed were taken from their previous projects. There were also photos of Hermione and Margarethe, and other photos with their staff. He could see that both women enjoyed their work, both in the photos and from observing them the night before. He was in awe of Hermione as he stared at her in the photos while remembering that she also owned the bookshop next door.

"Harry? What are you doing here?"

He recognized her voice immediately and turned to face the woman it belonged to. As he looked at the brunette woman, he was again floored by how beautiful she was, and he wondered briefly at the strength of his attraction to her.

He smiled at her. "Hey Hermione. How are you?"

He took a moment to look at her. Her hair was a riot of loose, brunette curls that seemed to almost reach her waist in length. Her face was makeup-free, and although she was gorgeous when she was made up as she was at the party, he decided he much preferred the more natural look on her. She was wearing a white, long-sleeved blouse tucked in a red pencil skirt that simply accentuated her curvy hips and amazing legs. Instead of the pumps he'd seen her twice before, she was wearing a pair of white sneakers, which went well with her outfit. The only thing that marred the almost perfect vision that was Hermione Granger was the frown on her pretty face.

"Why are you here?" She asked in a low voice, clearly not wanting others to overhear their conversation.

"Actually, I came here to see you," he replied easily.

The frown on her face grew deeper at his answer. She looked around, probably checking if people were close enough to hear them talk. Margarethe then walked up to them and spoke.

"Why don't you go to my office and talk there? It's more private."

Harry could see the doubt in Hermione's eyes as she stared at her friend as the two women were having a silent conversation that he wasn't privy to. Hermione nodded and turned to him. "Come on, then."

Without waiting for his agreement, she walked around the reception desk and opened a door next to the stairs. Harry looked at Margarethe and when she gave him a smile and a nod, he immediately walked towards Hermione who was waiting by the opened door. When he entered the room, he didn't have the time to look around because after taking a few steps inside, he turned to face Hermione when he heard the door close.

"Why are you here?" She asked again.

"As I've said before, I came to see you," he returned.

"Why?" Her eyebrows raised as she inquired.

"Because I enjoyed my time with you last night," Harry said. He took a step forward then stopped when Hermione took a step back in surprise. "And I was hoping I can get to see more of you. Did you not enjoy our time together?"

He decided that honesty was the best way to approach this woman. It was plain as day how intelligent Hermione was and he wouldn't want to insult her by spewing flowery words to her. He saw her hesitate for a moment after he spoke his question. Even in their brief time together the night before, he knew she wasn't the kind of woman to waste time pretending she enjoyed his company when, in truth, she didn't.

"I—of course, I did," she replied softly. "I do remember saying that I had a wonderful time with you."

"Then why not have dinner with me?"

She sighed. "I already told you I don't have the time to date," she then looked away, a sad look took residence on her face. "Besides, I don't think dating is for me."

She spoke so low that he wondered if she was speaking to him or herself. Upon seeing the sad expression that should not have any place on her otherwise beautiful face, he was now more determined than ever to show her that going out with him and spending time with him was not a bad idea. He suddenly stood straight and walked a few steps back, creating distance between them. His abrupt movements surprised her, curiosity and confusion were warring in her eyes.

He gave her a friendly smile. "You and I both know there was a… connection—for lack of a better word—between us last night. I'm going to leave you for now, but I hope you give this," he raised his hand and gestured between the two of them, "a bit of thought because you know I'm right." He gave another smile and went around her to reach the door. He paused as he opened the door, "You look beautiful today. I'm quite happy to see you again, Hermione," he said. Then, he exited and closed the door behind him.

Margarethe stood up from the chair previously occupied by the receptionist and met Harry as he walked away from the office door. She gave a sympathetic smile and asked,"Still a no?"

Harry sighed and raked his fingers through his perpetually disheveled hair. "Yeah."

The blonde woman nodded in understanding. She looked at the closed door for a few seconds before looking back at Harry.

"You know she's just afraid, right?"

"I kinda got that. I honestly don't buy the '_I'm too busy_' excuse she's been throwing at me. I just want to know why so I can do something about it," he replied. He, of course, believed Margarethe knew the reason behind Hermione's rejection.

She looked at the door again then led him towards the entrance of the office. "You know that I know the reason why she's hesitant but it's not my story to tell. You just have to be patient with her," she said. She paused before the door and turned to look at Harry. "If you're serious about dating her, I could give you a hand—but only if you're serious."

He wasn't sure how everything had progressed so quickly in the span of 24 hours, but he knew in his gut that it would be a grave mistake if he stopped his pursuit of Hermione now. If there was one thing he learned during the previous war, it was to follow his instincts. And his instincts said that he would be a fool to let Hermione go.

He smiled at Margarethe before opening the door and spoke, "I've never been more serious in my entire life." Harry stepped out to the busy street and felt that his life was going to change. Whether that change was for better or worse was still up in the air.

—

Hermione hated running late for anything, but she knew there wasn't anything she could have done so that she could leave her previous meeting on time. A well-known author was going to hold a book launch event at her bookshop, and she had to meet with the author's agent to hammer out the details of the event. The activities to be done prior to the launch and post-event promotions were also discussed. Given that they had scheduled the book launch in a month, they were working on a tight timeline. Of course, despite being loaded with work up to her neck between the bookshop and _The Magic Touch_, she couldn't disregard potential new clients. That's why she was rushing to _Les Envies_ in muggle London. She wasn't surprised or bothered to meet a would-be client in muggle London as they catered to both magicals and muggles. She was surprised, though, at the venue of the meeting. _Les Envies_ was one of the most expensive and most sought out French restaurants in Great Britain. It was the kind of place that Hermione could never have eaten at in her entire lifetime, so she was somewhat also looking forward to tasting their dishes tonight.

When she gave her name to the woman at the entryway of the restaurant, the _maître d′ _came rushing to meet her and lead her to one of the private rooms at the back of the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant was modern in design. High ceilings with chandeliers hung low, frosted glass-paneled walls were placed in-between tables in the middle of the main floor, and the same panels were used on one side of the restaurant. On the other side were wide windows that showed the busy London street.

She wondered again who the potential client was because it seemed they required the utmost privacy for this meeting. Margarethe wasn't able to brief her properly because she was caught up in another meeting with suppliers when she sent Hermione a message that she would not be able to make this appointment. She asked if Hermione could go in her place instead since it was important. Of course, she couldn't say no to her friend, and since more clients meant more income for _The Magic Touch_, she didn't mind so much. When they reached one of the doors of the private rooms, the _maître d′ _knocked and waited for the confirmation they could enter. When the permission came, the _maître d′_ gave her a nod then proceeded to open the door. He stood aside as he held the door open for her to enter.

The minute she entered the room, she knew who was there. For reasons unknown, since the day they met, she had developed a hyper-awareness for this man. Maybe it was that _connection_ which he mentioned before, though she didn't know yet if that was true. But she couldn't deny that she already knew he was there even before she laid eyes on him.

The moment their eyes met, it felt like time stood still. She barely noticed the _maître d′_ excusing himself and closing the door behind him. Hermione could not deny that her attraction to Harry was strong, and it only grew stronger every time she saw him. She recalled the conversation she had with Margarethe after Harry came looking for her at their office more than a week ago.

_She didn't know how long she stood there after Harry had left the room. She surmised it had been a few minutes already. Her emotions were jumbled, and she didn't know what to feel or think. Here was a wonderful and gorgeous man, asking her out to dinner, and yet, she rejected him. Twice. Harry Potter could have had any woman he wanted. And for some unfathomable reason, he wanted to date her. She knew she was just passably pretty, far from being as beautiful as the French girls she went to school with. More often than not, people would likely compliment her for being smart more than for her looks. She didn't mind that at all, for she took pride in her intelligence. So, this pursuit of Harry Potter utterly baffled her. It simply did not make sense. Prior to today, they only met briefly—twice. And yet, she had to agree with his assessment. There was a connection between them, and it kept getting stronger. She didn't understand it for it defied any logic, but she could not deny it was there because she felt it too._

_A knock on the door made her jump a little and interrupted her thoughts._

"_Hey, you okay?" Margarethe asked when she entered the room. Hermione released a breath she didn't know she was holding when the door opened._

What, were you expecting Harry to walk back in the room? _She berated herself. She gave a long sigh and answered her friend, "I honestly don't know."_

_Margarethe nodded and closed the door behind her. She led her friend to the chairs in front of her office desk and took a seat on the right one while Hermione dropped herself on the left._

_Hermione raised her right hand and began rubbing her forehead. She could feel a headache coming._

"_Tell me what you're really thinking," Margarethe said, breaking the silence._

_She sighed, dropped her hand, and leaned her head on the back of the chair. "I just… don't think dating him is a good idea."_

"_Why not?"_

_Hermione turned her head towards her friend, giving her a look as if she had grown an extra head. "Have you seen the man? He's gorgeous! He's smart and funny. He's such a gentleman and practically perfect in every way. He is everything a woman could wish for and more! And don't forget, he's bloody famous worldwide. And I'm… me," she gestured at herself then turned her head again and closed her eyes. "He's way out of my league. Not to mention, I have too much baggage. A man like that could never accept the kind of baggage I carry."_

_Margarethe sat up and glared at her, "Stop right there! Just stop. You are not out of his league, all right? You are a strong, amazing, and loving woman. You have your own business, for Circe's sake! And I doubt the bloke even cares about the status quo. He's interested in you! He barely knows you, but he went looking for you just to ask you out. And maybe you should let him decide whether he's man enough to accept and share your baggage."_

"_I just know that he will run as fast as he could the moment he finds out, just like all the other men before…"_

"_And how would you know that? You won't even give the poor man a chance! You don't know if he'll reject you. You don't know if he'll run away after you tell him the truth, like those jerks you've dated before. Maybe he's finally the person who will help you carry the weight you've been carrying for years."_

_Hermione glared at her friend and answered, "Because I'd rather nip it in the bud before I get my hopes up again! I've got too much going on in my life as it is. I don't have time to date famous bachelors who have the pick of any woman in the world! I don't want to be just a notch on someone's belt. I can't just think of myself anymore, you know that." A tense silence followed her outburst._

"_I know what's really on your mind," Margarethe started, her voice calmer than before. "You're scared."_

_Hermione deflated and released a long sigh. She nodded._

"_I'm bloody scared of getting my hopes up. I'm scared of trusting someone again. I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen if I do start dating him." She looked at her friend with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "But what I'm scared most is I _know_ I could fall in love with him."_

As she brought herself back to the present, she frowned and narrowed her eyes towards Harry Potter.

"I think I'm in the wrong room," she said, her voice tense. She moved to leave when Harry spoke for the first time.

"No, you're in the right room," he replied, and gave her a lopsided smile.

She turned back to face him, trying to keep herself calm. "I'm supposed to meet a client here."

"You're looking at him," he replied as his smile grew.

An idea clicked in her mind. Margarethe was adamant about her meeting with this client that she even said the appointment could not be rescheduled to another date. "So, this is some sort of trick you and Margarethe came up with to get me to have dinner with you?" She asked, the irritation clear in her voice.

He shrugged. "Maybe."

Hermione rolled her eyes and harrumphed. "You are wasting my time," she said. She turned to leave again but Harry rushed forward and caught her arm.

"Please, just have dinner with me this one time. And if you end up hating every minute of it, then I'll back off and leave you alone," he pleaded. She looked at his eyes and only saw sincerity there.

She sighed again. "Fine. I am quite hungry."

His smile returned then he led her to the table that was set in the middle of the room. He pulled the chair for her to sit down then he sat on his own across her. He passed her the menu.

"Order whatever you want. Although I took the liberty of ordering our drinks. I hope you like red wine," he said.

"I love wine. But I also like the occasional bitter," she replied.

He gave her another smile. "Me too. Personally, I prefer beer over wine. But since this place doesn't serve beer, we'll have to make do with wine."

She chuckled. "Poor us." She felt herself calming and getting comfortable. There was something about Harry's presence that made her feel safe and at peace. She shook those thoughts away.

"Are you ready to order?" He asked. When she nodded, he pressed a button that was on the table and the _maître d′_ suddenly entered the room.

"Have you made your choices, _monsieur_ _et_ _madame_?" He inquired.

After they gave their orders, another waiter came in to serve their wine and left it in a bucket of ice beside their table.

Hermione took a sip of the wine in her glass and hummed. "Hmm. That's a good choice."

"Why, thank you. Don't sound too surprised," Harry teased.

She laughed. "Sorry. Not many men like wine, you know. Even rarer are those who know the good ones."

He leaned forward and gestured for her to move closer as if he was going to tell her a secret. He looked around and put his hand beside his mouth. "Don't tell anyone but it's the only brand of wine I know."

She giggled at that and moved back in her chair. After she controlled her laughter, she looked at him with amused eyes. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"I know that," he said easily. The _maître d′_ entered again and served their appetizers then their main course. They talked as they ate, steering clear of the conversation about why Hermione didn't want to date Harry.

As they were enjoying their wine, it seemed like Harry finally decided to address the elephant in the room.

"So tell me, why did you say no when I asked you to dinner?"

Hermione, who was about to drink her wine, was startled by the question. She put her glass down and kept her eyes on the wine. Harry waited patiently while it took her a few moments before she answered.

"I told you, I have my hands full with both the bookshop and the events company. I don't have the time to date," she said as she kept her eyes on her glass, afraid to look at his mesmerizing emerald eyes.

"You did tell me that. But somehow, I know that's not the _only_ reason. I feel like something else is holding you back," he replied, his tone soft.

She looked up at him, surprised at his accurate perception. She was still thinking of a response to that, but Harry continued speaking.

"You can tell me the truth, whatever it is," he said.

She could see in his eyes the genuineness of that statement. She wanted to tell him everything, it's like his eyes were compelling her but her fears still far outweighed that desire.

"I… have baggage. Baggage that men like you would rather not deal with," she finally said, the end almost a whisper.

"Try me."

She stared at him for what felt like forever, deciding whether to be honest with him or not. She was deathly afraid of taking the chance, the risk of having more than just her heartbroken. But would she rather live not knowing if he could handle her and everything that came with her life?

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Decision made, she released her breath and looked directly in his emerald eyes.

"Harry, I have a nine-year-old son."


	4. Chapter 4

"_Harry, I have a nine year-old son."_

Huh.

_So that's what she meant about having baggage_, he thought. Of all the things he thought could be the reason why she didn't want to date him, having a young son was definitely not one of them. He could understand her concerns, to a degree. He felt slight apprehension that the thought of her having a son could mean she had a husband, but he cut that thought immediately. She did say that there was no Mr. Granger, or ever, and he believed her wholeheartedly. She may not have been as forthcoming regarding her reason as to why she rejected him before, but he knew she would not have lied to him.

Her eyes never left his even after her revelation. As he stared back, he saw there was a challenge in those expressive cinnamon-coloured eyes. As if she was daring him to jump up and leave immediately. He came to realize she expected him to do just that after finding out she had a child. He wondered what kind of men this brilliant had woman dated before. Stupid arseholes, that's what they were. Stupid, blind arseholes. They ditched her just because she had a kid? They didn't deserve a minute of this her time and attention. This beautiful and strong woman, who had the courage to move to another country to start a new life, opened her own business and raised a son all on her own. He was truly in awe of her. Perhaps his admiration was visible on his face because there was suddenly a redness growing on her cheeks. He shook his head and gave her an amused smile.

"What? did you expect me to go running out of this room, screaming?" He teased her, taking a drink of his wine.

Probably not expecting this reaction to her revelation, she was speechless for a few moments. Her mouth opened and closed, much like a fish, which he thought was adorable. She gathered herself and took a deep breath. She looked at him and confusion was evident on her face.

"Well, yeah. That's usually the reception I get when I tell the men I date that I have a son," she shrugged. "Some were more subtle about it, some weren't."

He shook his head and took another drink of his wine. He regarded her for a few moments, which he saw made her slightly uncomfortable, before putting his glass down.

"Well, tough," he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "I happen to really like kids," he said and a smirk grew on his face.

"You do?"

Harry nodded. "Well, it's hard not to. I have a godson who's eight years old and I completely adore him. I make it a point to have him stay with me whenever I'm home or on break from Quidditch. Teddy's—that's his name—parents died in the war, you see, so I took it upon myself to take care of him as if he was my own, although he does live with his grandmother most of the time since I travel so much because of my profession. But I hope to get him to live with me full time someday. I love the little tyke and I miss him when I'm away."

He took a sip of water then continued. "And my best mate, Ron, has tons of nieces and nephews, whom I see whenever I visit his parents' house for Sunday brunch. Even some of our schoolmates from Hogwarts already have kids. So I'm surrounded by kids of all ages, all the time. Besides, growing up as an only child, I've always thought I'd have a big family of my own someday."

She nodded and looked down at her lap. He could see she wasn't sure how to handle the situation. There was also a sadness about her that was hard to miss, even if she tried her best not to show it. Harry cursed those idiots that rejected her just because she had a son.

"I'm not the kind of woman you normally date," she spoke softly, her eyes still trained on her lap.

"No, you're not," he agreed.

She let out a little huff then looked up at him with a slight hurt visible in her eyes, "Well, that settles it then, doesn't it? A bachelor like you shouldn't involve himself with single mothers like me. I've seen the women you date in the papers, you know. I am nothing like those gorgeous, stick-thin, perfectly made-up models and famous people you're normally seen with."

He shrugged. "Maybe not. But you're quite beautiful, too. And I like having stimulating conversations about anything other than what makeup you should use or what dress you should buy. I may be a jock but I'm not entirely an airhead, you know."

"I just don't understand why you even want to go out with me."

He just shrugged. "I just know, from the moment I met you, that we would be good together."

"You can't possibly know that."

Harry simply took a sip of his wine. "Why don't you tell me about your son?" He not-so-subtly changed the topic. He didn't want to start debating with her again about whether they should be dating or not. He saw her eyes soften as she thought about her son as a tender smile grew on her lips.

"He's just this little ball of energy. He has to be constantly moving or else he'll just have all this stamina and he wouldn't know where to put it all. That's why I enrolled him in football camp for the summer, while regular school is out," she chuckled. "But he also loves his books. I would always bring him to the library in France when he was smaller."

"Sounds like an awesome kid. What's his name?" Harry said.

"His name is Ethan," she replied.

"And his father?"

There was pain and anger in her eyes when asked about the boy's father and he wondered why the thought of him caused those emotions. She shook her head slowly and replied, "He's not in the picture."

"Was he in the picture before?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. He was never in the picture. Not for a single second."

He was honestly curious about that situation but decided to ask her about it some other time instead. They were still treading on fragile grounds at the moment. Harry simply nodded then decided to ask more about her son and telling her more about his godson, leaving behind the depressing topic of the absent father.

"Does Ethan know about magic?" He asked.

"Well, yes. Although, I didn't assume he would be magical, even if his father and I were both magical ourselves. I'm a Muggle-born, you see. So there was a possibility that the magical gene would skip a generation. But when he displayed his first accidental magic at age two, Margarethe and I have been teaching him about magic ever since," she explained.

"Wow. He must be pretty powerful to have done accidental magic at two years old. Mine didn't happen until I was probably around five. But then again, you're quite powerful yourself."

She moved her head slightly to the side. "How'd you suss that out?"

"I can feel your magic all around you, like a second skin," he began. "It's a skill I learned during the war years ago. It helped me gauge how powerful my allies and enemies were. I may only be a quidditch player now but I still got the skills I've learned back then."

"And it's quite obvious how powerful you are, too. You might seem all laidback and easy-going, but your magic is humming around you, right above your skin. Not many people would see or feel it, as not many wizards or witches are as attuned to the magic around us, although I did see and feel it the first time we met back at the stadium."

"See? Not just beautiful, but also smart and powerful," he said, a smile of pride on his lips.

She blushed at the praise. "Speaking of quidditch, what made you decide to pursue it?" He could see the genuine curiosity in her eyes. It wasn't like the others that asked the same question while judging him for his choices. "I mean, I would have thought the British Ministry of Magic would have bent over backwards just to get the hero who defeated Voldemort to work for them."

He stared at her in wonder. Even after eight years since Voldemort's demise, only a handful of people, mostly the people who fought with him, would say his name. To hear Hermione say Voldemort's name out loud was further proof that this woman was definitely something special.

"Did I say something wrong?" She inquired, worry laced in her voice.

"Oh, no! Of course not. Why did you think so?" He assured her.

"It's just… You suddenly grew quiet then you were just staring at me."

Harry chuckled. "Well, to answer your question about quidditch, most of my teenage years were dedicated to training and preparing myself to face Voldemort. I studied as hard as I could, I trained to fight in both magical and muggle ways, did everything I could so I would have a fighting chance against him when the day came since he was believed to be the most powerful dark wizard of our time. I even thought of becoming an auror after I finished Hogwarts when I was 15.

"But after everything was said and done, I didn't want to fight anymore. I've already fought in a war a teenager had no business getting involved in. So after the final battle with Voldemort and his Death Eaters, I just took my NEWTS then left to travel the world for a while." He drank the remaining wine in his glass then refilled it again. He noticed that Hermione was staring at him. There was a look in her eyes and he wasn't sure what it was. Before he could speak again, she suddenly spoke.

"Then why were you quiet for a bit back there?"

He gave her an amused smile. She just couldn't let things go, could she? "You simply amaze me, Hermione. The majority of the magical community still can't say Voldemort's name out loud, you know. And here you are, a muggle-born at that, speaking his name without hesitation."

She blushed delightfully again. "I was taught that fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself."

"You are absolutely right, Hermione. I refused to adhere to calling him You-Know-Who because, while he may have been powerful magically, it was that fear that gave him more power. I wish more people lived by those words. Voldemort has been dead for years and yet, people still won't say his name out loud," he said.

"Well, most people have lived through both wars against him. That's two decades of living in fear of him and it will be difficult for them to let go of something they've grown used to for that long. Maybe we can teach the younger generation not to fear his name like the adults do."

He grinned at her. "You truly are brilliant. Ethan's lucky to have such a brilliant mother."

"Thank you for thinking so," she said, her blush returning.

"I don't simply think so. I know so," he winked.

Hermione laughed at that and he was glad. This was their first date and he didn't want stories about the war to ruin it. He realized that if he was going to continue seeing her, which he had already decided to do til the day she grew tired of him, he was going to have to tell her about his past. Not many people knew what truly happened during the final battle, not even the people who were there. Only his family and closest friends knew most of it.

He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself.

He saw Hermione looked at her watch and must have realized it was already getting late.

"Oh dear. Time got away from me. I need to get going," she said, standing up in a hurry and began collecting her things. Harry summoned the _maître d′_ who immediately entered the room.

"Nigel, just put everything on my account, alright?" He said as he stood and buttoned his suit jacket.

"Of course, sir," Nigel replied then turned to Hermione. "Was everything to your liking, Miss?"

She turned to the middle-aged man and gave him a smile. "Oh yes. The food was wonderful. Thank you, Nigel."

Harry approached Hermione and grabbed the coat from the back of her seat. He put it up so he could help Hermione put it on. Hermione looked at him for a moment then just let him put the coat on her. Both faced Nigel with a smile.

"Yes, everything was lovely. Thank you, Nigel," Harry said.

The _maître d′ _gave them a slight bow in appreciation. "We hope to see you again here, Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter."

"You can bet on that," Harry replied with a smile. He placed his hand on the small of Hermione's back then led her to exit the room. Hermione simply glanced back at him and he gave her a smile. He kept his hand there until they left the restaurant and were now walking to the apparition point a few metres away.

They walked in companionable silence and were near the apparition point when Hermione suddenly spoke. "It's okay, Harry. I can apparate home from here. You don't need to walk with me."

Harry looked at her but he kept walking. "I'd like to walk you home, if you don't mind. I'd like to make sure you got home safe." What he didn't say was that he felt like he didn't want to part from her yet. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with her.

"I can take care of myself, you know," she countered, raising her chin in defiance.

He chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you can. Let's just say it's for _my_ peace of mind."

She huffed but she looked up at him and gave him a smile to show that she appreciated his sentiments. He smiled back at her. They reached the apparition point in just a few short moments, where Hermione then turned to Harry and said. "I'll side-along you, would that be alright?"

"Of course. It's not a problem," he assured her. Before she said anything further, he removed his hand from her back and took her hand, interlocking their fingers together. Her eyes widened then immediately looked down at their joined hands. He thought that she would pull away but she didn't and there was a blush growing on her cheeks again. Her face was flushed and Harry liked seeing her that way, knowing that it was him that caused it.

She gave him a shy smile. "Ready?"

He just gave her a nod and a smile then they were gone.

* * *

He still hadn't let go of her hand.

They appeared at one of the apparition points near her flat and were walking side by side, hands still joined. She noticed how his large hand simply swallowed her small one, keeping it warm.

"Where are we?" He asked, looking around and taking in his surroundings.

"Wembley. I live at Emerald Gardens."

"So that's why this place looked a bit familiar. I've been going to Wembley Stadium with some of the blokes to watch football."

"You do? Ethan and I often watch games there, as well," she replied, the surprise clear in her voice.

"Well, I have muggle-born friends and we introduced football to some of our pureblood friends. It might not be as intense and dangerous as quidditch but luckily, they found it quite enjoyable and interesting, so we've been going to games ever since."

"Maybe… we can watch a game together sometime? I can bring along Teddy, as well." Harry asked tentatively, after a few moments of silence as they walked. Her heart suddenly skipped at the question. Was she really going to do this? She hadn't even agreed to dating him yet. But going to a few football games with him and her son shouldn't mean that they were dating, right? They were simply adults who enjoyed watching the sport. And yet… the longer they spent together, the more it felt right to her. The more she got to know him, the more she felt it would feel akin to getting her heart ripped out of her chest if she suddenly decided not to see him again. It was strange and quite troubling, this growing attachment she had for him. But trying to stop it would be like trying to stop a freight train with just her hands.

She looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "I think Ethan and I would like that."

A bright smile adorned his handsome face and only served to make him even more gorgeous. How did this amazing specimen of a man take notice of her? It was a heady experience, if she were to be completely honest with herself, to be the center of his undivided attention. His joy at her simple acquiescence was contagious and she began to feel her smile grow too. They continued to talk about football and when they could watch a game together. Hermione failed to notice that they had almost reached her flat until she heard the ding sounded on the lift they were on and the doors opened. She had to check if they were on the correct floor because it seemed like she'd been on auto-pilot. She glanced at Harry to see if he noticed her mishap, but he was busy taking in the surroundings. They continued walking until they stopped in front of a door with a metal number seven attached to it.

"Interesting flat number. My jersey number is seven," Harry said, amused. There was a gleam in his eyes that Hermione didn't know how to describe.

"Well then, this is my stop," she began, she didn't know why she was nervous all of a sudden. "Thank you for walking me home. It really wasn't necessary but I appreciate it all the same."

"It was my pleasure. And my reasons weren't entirely unselfish," he replied.

She nodded. "Goodnight, then." She turned towards the door, forgetting that he was still holding her hand. She felt him pull her back so she turned towards him. She was about to ask him to let her hand go but the words died in her throat when she looked him in the eyes. They were a darker shade and the intensity in them threatened to swallow her whole.

"Hermione…" His voice was so low and raspy that she felt like melting into his arms. "May I kiss you?"

It took awhile for her foggy mind to comprehend his question and all she could think of was how his lips would feel against hers.

"Yes please," a voice said, soft and husky. She wasn't sure if she was the one who spoke. It must have came from her because, in the next second, his lips were on hers. They were tentative, at first, maybe giving her a chance to move away if she didn't want to continue anymore. She then pressed her lips harder against his and opened her mouth when his tongue swept along to tease her lower lip. It was like a dam had broken. The hand that was holding hers let it go and the same arm had wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her tighter to him, while his other hand cupped her cheek. Her tongue caressed his for the first time, and he tasted like the wine they had consumed and something distinctly Harry that she knew was something she could become addicted to in a short time. She wasn't sure how long they were kissing, and she would have kept going, but the need for air was the only reason they stopped. Harry didn't move that far from her, either. He leaned his forehead on hers, his eyes remained closed, as they both took a moment to catch their breath. She didn't realize they'd moved because she was now pressed against her door and Harry's body was against her.

"Harry…"

He opened his eyes and moved just a bit to look at her properly. "You, Ms. Granger, are one hell of a kisser."

Her cheeks flushed even further, feeling a bit shy about the compliment. "So are you, Mr. Potter."

"Thank you. But I think it's best you go in now. Or else, I will end up devouring you in this hallway," he said lightly, but the huskiness in his voice betrayed his true desires. They slowly moved to disentangled themselves from each other and rearranged their clothes back to being proper. When they were done, they stared at each other then a smile grew on each of their faces.

"Thank you again, Harry. For tonight," she finally spoke.

Harry took her hand again and he kissed the back of it this time. "I'd like to take you out again."

"I… would love that," she replied.

Another bright smile graced his face, his delight clear to her. "Go on now," he gestured towards the door, "and I will see you again soon."

She nodded and turned to open the door with her keys. When she crossed the threshold, she turned back and smiled at him. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

With a last smile, she closed the door and locked it. She heard his footsteps walk away as he left her door and she stood there listening until he was completely gone. She turned and leaned on the door, a huge smile adorning her face. She had been on dates before, of course, but none of them made her feel the way Harry had made her feel tonight. He made her feel beautiful, he did not shame her for her intelligence, and he looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. And he was perfect when she told him all about Ethan, asking her about her son. That thought brought her to him. She was still worried about where this budding relationship would go and how it would affect Ethan, but her friends were right. She did have the right to be happy and to experience life and love, just like everyone else. And maybe, just maybe, Harry would be the one.

* * *

Merlin, what a kiss!

The smile that had graced his face remained as he walked back to the apparition point so he can apparate to his flat. He was still smiling as he got himself ready for sleep, even still as he laid in his bed and tried to go to sleep. But his mind kept replaying the kiss they shared in the hallway outside her flat. It was everything he'd hoped for and more. He certainly didn't plan to kiss her tonight. He was willing to let the night end without so much as a peck on the cheek but what did end up happening was infinitely better than what he expected. He didn't remember making the conscious decision to kiss her. It was just a spur of the moment when she was about to enter the flat. He didn't want to let her go and he didn't want their night to end just yet. But kissing her was unlike anything he had felt before. He could not put a name to the feeling it invoked in him but he knew it felt great, and he wanted to feel that again. He wanted to feel her delicious lips on his once more.

She finally agreed to go out with him. Tonight didn't happen as he and Margarethe planned it without her knowledge, but now, she finally agreed and he was already looking forward to their next date.

He looked at the clock on his nightstand and realized it was already terribly late. He had practice tomorrow and he needed to be at the stadium quite early. Lacking a few hours of sleep after spending a wonderful night with Hermione was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make. He made himself comfortable in his bed so he could finally fall asleep, but his thoughts were still with the beautiful brunette.

He didn't know if getting involved with her was a smart move because her revelation did complicate things a lot. But, if there was one thing this evening showed him, it was that he was not prepared to stop seeing Hermione and spending time with her. And if she had baggage that came in the form of a nine-year-old kid, then he was willing to take it.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione roused with a smile on her face. She laughed to herself. She couldn't remember a time when she woke up smiling and feeling giddy. She remained lying in her bed for a few more minutes, which was a little different from her usual routine, as she normally didn't dally in bed and would begin preparing for the day immediately.

"Mum? Are you awake?"

She sat up and smiled at the young boy standing at the threshold of her room, the door opened. "Good morning, love." She patted the space beside her.

The boy smiled at her and scrambled to get up on her bed to sit where she indicated. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him, as well. Ethan looked up at her, smile still in place. Somehow, he ended up looking quite a bit more like her than his father. Although his hair was wavier than her own curly locks and a lighter shade of brown, he had her golden-brown eyes, pert nose, and rosy lips. He was quite tall for a nine-year-old, almost reaching her shoulder now. But he would always be her baby.

"Good morning, Mum. I didn't hear you come in last night."

"Well, I got in pretty late. What did you do last night?" she asked, tapping his nose with a finger.

Ethan removed one arm from her and tapped his chin with a finger, thinking. "Hmm. Mrs. Johnson cooked spaghetti last night for supper then she let me watch the telly for a bit. Aunt Marga arrived sometime later and let Mrs. Johnson go home," he answered.

"Ah yes. I spoke with your Aunt Marga when I got home last night," she smirked, remembering her encounter with her blonde friend last night.

"_Hermione?"_

_A voice startled her from her thoughts of a gorgeous green-eyed hunk. She saw her best friend, Margarethe, peeking from the doorway that led to the kitchen on her right side. Hermione schooled her expression to a scowl and glared at her friend._

"_Uhm," Margarethe came out to the hallway and fidgeted under her hard stare, "How was the meeting?"_

_Hermione simply raised her eyebrow and proceeded to remove her coat and boots without answering, placing them in the coat closet by the front door. She turned towards her friend and walked to the kitchen. She already had the kettle on the stove when she heard Margarethe enter the room and sit on one of the bar stools in front of the counter across from the stove Hermione stood at._

"_Hermione, I know you're right pissed at me for setting you up. I-"_

_Hermione quickly turned around to look at her friend. "You're damn right I'm pissed, especially when I explicitly expressed I didn't want to start dating, let alone date Harry Bleeding Potter."_

_Margarethe looked down in shame. She knew her best friend's heart was in the right place and Margarethe just wanted her to be happy. Hermione felt bad for her friend, but only just a little bit. She decided she had punished the woman enough._

"_But I have to thank you for conspiring with Harry for tonight. I truly had a wonderful time." She smirked, as Margarethe looked up at her with wide eyes, a smile growing on her pretty face._

"_Really? Did you, really?" Hermione nodded in response. Margarethe breathed in relief and Hermione laughed at her. Margarethe began to laugh, as well, and continued to do so even as Hermione served tea for both of them. She sat down beside her friend and silently drank her tea._

"_So, what happened?"_

_Hermione told her about how she was both surprised and annoyed when she realized the "meeting" was a setup, and that she and Harry were behind it. She told the other woman how the evening started shakily and how she told Harry that she wasn't the type of woman he dated, which he agreed to but explained why she was better than the other women he had previously dated. She also told her when Hermione finally dropped the bomb on Harry about Ethan._

"_Really? You told him just like that? Why?" Margarethe's surprise was quite evident._

_Hermione shrugged. "I guess I was just tired of the whole dating thing. If I laid it out to him at the beginning, I'll know whether this thing between us was worth pursuing or not."_

"_And how did he react?"_

"_That's the thing. He was surprised by it but he just said that he likes kids and told me all about his godson. He acted like it wasn't that much of a big deal."_

"_Wow."_

"_I know. I didn't really expect that, so for a while, I didn't know how I was supposed to respond to him."_

"_And then, what happened next?"_

"_He asked about Ethan's father, if he was in the picture. I told him he was never in the picture. He just proceeded to ask more about Ethan," Hermione paused, looking at the teacup in her hands. "Harry seemed quite interested in getting to know him," she added thoughtfully._

"_Maybe he is. What did he say about Damien?"_

_Hermione shook her head. "Not much. I think he kind of sensed that I didn't want to talk about Ethan's father so we moved on to other topics. When we left the restaurant, he insisted on accompanying me home." She couldn't help but blush at the memory of what had gone on out in the hallway just barely an hour ago. She tried to hide her reddened cheeks but Margarethe caught it and squealed._

"_Why are you blushing?! Tell me everything!"_

"_Nothing! Nothing happened," she insisted, but knowing her friend, she would see right through that blatant lie._

"_Hermione Jane Granger! You're not going to start hiding things from me, especially anything that had to do with a certain Harry bleeding Potter!"_

_If she could have blushed even further, she would have. Seeing as she didn't have a choice, she reluctantly told Margarethe of the mind-blowing, bone-melting, heart-stopping snog she'd shared with Harry out in the hallway._

_After she spoke, Margarethe had a shit-eating grin on her face, "So that was the noise I heard outside of the door! I was about to check it out, you know. Good thing I didn't. Probably would have ruined the moment."_

"_Oh, you!" she admonished, but she couldn't stop the heat that ran through her body at the thought of the kiss. How could he evoke such feelings in her with a mere kiss? _If I felt those things with just a kiss, imagine what I would feel when we finally-

_She stopped those thoughts right away because she was sure her friend would see right through her. She placed her hands on her reddened cheeks to try and control the heat on her face._

"_Are you going to see him again?" Margarethe asked after a few minutes of sitting in silence._

_Hermione took a deep breath, "Yes, he said he would like to take me out again. I said, I would love to."_

"_FINALLY! Oh, Hermione, I'm so happy for you!" Margarethe hugged her tightly, Hermione returned the hug with the same intensity. She really hoped in her heart that this would not end in heartbreak, for her or for Ethan._

"So what did you want to do today, little man? I'm not going into the shops so I thought maybe we can do something together," she told her son. The resulting smile her statement garnered was enough to cause a little guilt in her. She realized she had been working quite hard for the past few months and had barely spent a day with her son. She watched as her son adorably pondered what activities they could do that day.

"Can we go to the park then catch a movie in the cinema? We haven't done that in a while," he said.

"Of course, darling! We can definitely do that and if we have more time, we can drop by that little festival by the Thames," she replied, pinching her son's chin, "But first! Breakfast!"

They simultaneously got up from her bed and Hermione walked to the chair of her vanity table to grab the robe that she put there the night before. Ethan was waiting for her by the door as she tied her robe tightly and walked towards him. He took her hand and walked with her down the stairs to the kitchen. She had always loved how Ethan was an affectionate boy. Usually, boys his age began to hate being coddled or hugged or kissed by their mothers, but Ethan loved it all. He headed towards the icebox while Hermione went to the cupboard to retrieve a cup for her tea.

"What did you want for breakfast, love?" she asked after putting the kettle on. She turned to see Ethan had taken the jug of orange juice from the icebox and went to sit on one of the barstools by the counter in the middle of the kitchen. Hermione whipped out her wand and levitated a glass towards him.

"Thanks, Mum!" he said as he opened the jug and poured juice in the glass, "How about some bacon and eggs? And muffins?"

"That sounds wonderful. Sit tight and your wish is my command, good sir!"

"Thank you, madam! I look forward to your scrumptious cooking!" her son responded, catching on to one of their games.

An hour and a half later found the mother and son leaving their flat. They were talking animatedly about what they were going to do that day. They walked for half an hour and reached the Fryent Country Park. They chose a slightly secluded area with low grass. Looking around to make sure there weren't any people around, Hermione opened her beaded bag which was charmed with expansion and weightless charms. She reached in and produced a football for them to play with. She knew she wasn't all that good with the sport but she was willing to play with her son. His father should have been the one playing with him but since she refused to include him in Ethan's life, not that he wanted to be a part of it anyway either, it was her job to be both father and mother to her son. Ethan smiled at her and they began to play, kicking the ball back and forth between them.

After an hour of playing, Hermione called for a break. They headed to a tree that provided plenty of shade from the summer sun. Again, Hermione looked around to see if there were onlookers. Once making sure they were alone, she retrieved a miniature picnic basket from the beaded bag and a checkered blanket. She and Ethan laid the blanket on the ground before she enlarged the picnic basket and placed it in the middle of the blanket. They sat across from each other, Hermione waved her wand towards Ethan to cleanse him of the sweat and grime they'd acquired from their game and cleaned herself. Once she was sure they were clean enough, she began pulling out items from the basket. There were sandwiches and chips, some of Ethan's favorite fruits and two thermoses, one filled with hot tea for her and the other with cold orange juice for the boy. They ate silently, just enjoying the summer weather they were graced with that day.

"Mum, do I really need to go to Hogwarts when I turn eleven in two years?" Ethan suddenly asked. She was about to drink her tea, which she put down to answer his question.

"Well," she began carefully, "It's not that you _have_ to. You can still go to Muggle school if you so choose. But your magic is not going to go away. And Hogwarts is there to teach you how to be able to control it and do wonderful things with it."

"Didn't you and my father go to a different school? Why can't I go there instead?" She looked at her son, curiosity clear in his brown eyes so similar to hers.

"Well, since we live in Britain now and Hogwarts is closer than Beauxbatons. If we still lived in France, you would have gone there. Besides, I was supposed to go to Hogwarts, you know. But Granddad and Grandmum decided to move to France before I could go."

"I won't see you for months, though. I'm going to miss you," he said, sadness tinged his voice. Hermione moved the basket away then reached over to hug her son.

"I will miss you, too. Terribly. But think about it: a huge castle to explore, new friends to meet, and so many things about magic to learn." She leaned forward as if imparting a very important secret. "And I've read that they have a really big library. Probably the biggest in all of Europe!"

"Really? Wow!" Ethan's eyes grew wide, excitement filled her son's face.

"Truly! And I know Alice has told you that they have quidditch there, too," she smirked, knowing that quidditch would definitely rouse her son's interests. She didn't know where this interest in sports came from since she wasn't athletic at all, but she'd happily indulge in her son's love for various sports. Alice had brought Ethan to some games and the boy was immediately obsessed. She must have also told him stories about her days as a quidditch player. Speaking of quidditch reminded Hermione of Harry. She wondered what he was doing at that moment but put the thought out of her mind because this day was for her and Ethan. She would think of Harry later.

Once they were done eating and resting, they packed their things and went to see a movie. It was one of the things they loved to do together, whether they were watching at the cinema or at home. Ethan chose the movie _Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest _because he thought a pirate's life was interesting.

After the movie, Hermione and Ethan went to a cafe near the cinema to have a late snack. They continued to talk about the movie, which parts they liked the best and which ones they thought could have been done better. They did both agree that Johnny Depp was a perfect Captain Jack Sparrow.

When they finished their snacks, they decided to go home since they had already spent the whole day outside. At home, Hermione prepared a simple dinner of spaghetti (Ethan's favorite) and garlic bread while Ethan drew in the sitting room. Once dinner was done, they were both too tired to do anything else so they decided to turn in early. Hermione tucked Ethan in bed, making sure his covers didn't let the cold air in as he slept. She was brushing her fingers in his hair as she hummed a lullaby. Ethan's closed eyes opened and he smiled at his mother.

"I love you, Mum," he told her, his voice soft.

Tenderness filled Hermione. She smiled at him, "I love you, too. Goodnight, my little man."

"Goodnight," he yawned and was out barely a minute later.

Hermione carefully extracted herself from his bed and walked as silently as she could to leave the room. She left the door slightly open before crossing the hallway to her own bedroom. Just as she closed the room's door, her mobile phone began ringing in her pocket. Afraid the sound would wake Ethan, she answered the call without checking who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Hermione."

A smile suddenly appeared on her lips, unbidden. She would recognize _his_ voice anywhere.

She sat on the bottom of her bed, "Hey to you, too. How did you get my number?"

Harry chuckled on the other line, "I have my ways. How was your day?"

Her smile grew as she thought of the day she had with Ethan, "Spent a day with Ethan. We played mock football at Fryent Country Park, then had a picnic lunch there. We also went to see the new _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie."

"Sounds like a fun day! I've been wanting to watch that movie. Was it good?" She heard a little shuffling sound from his end.

"It was. Ethan and I quite enjoyed it, actually. How about you? What did you do today?" She laid on her bed, her feet still on the floor.

"We had practice today. I swear, our coach is the devil incarnate."

She laughed, "Why? Did he make you all suffer today?"

"And then some." She could almost hear the pout in his voice, "He made us do all our normal drills twice! Just because Robinson and Rick—they're our chaser and beater—went out drinking last night and were hungover when they arrived for practice!"

"Is there a rule against drinking in the quidditch team?"

"Not really. But we make it a point not to drink the night away and get pissed _before_ a practice or a game. You wouldn't want to feel sluggish while playing. With Armond Lewis as the coach, you bet your pretty little head he will rain on your arse twice as hard when he finds out you were hungover."

She chuckled, "So why make everyone do the drills twice instead of just the two guilty parties?"

"A reminder to everyone, I reckon. It's not really that bad. I'm just really knackered from the training." She heard him yawn.

"You should probably get some rest now," she told him.

"Nah, I'm good. Been wanting to hear your voice the whole day and I really wanted to talk to you."

She blushed. She could hear the sincerity in his voice. _What is it with this man?_ "Are you sure? Do you have practice again tomorrow?"

"No, but we do have a team meeting in the afternoon. What does your week look like?"

"I'm not really sure yet. I make it a point not to look at work when it's my day with Ethan."

"That's good. Let me know when you can be free, I'd like to see you again," his voice lowered at the last part of his statement. Hermione couldn't help the shiver that went through her body as she remembered _The Kiss_ again.

"I'd love that. I'll let you know tomorrow?" she replied.

"Please do. I've got some plans for us," he said. This piqued her curiosity.

"Do tell, Mr. Potter."

"Uh, uh! It's a surprise!"

"Not even a clue?"

"Nope! Let me know when you will be free next, you'll find out then," he teased her.

"Oh, fine! Let's go to sleep, it's getting late."

"Goodnight, Hermione. I'm eager to see you again."

"Goodnight, Harry. See you soon."

It was the second night Hermione slept with a smile on her face.

* * *

It was two weeks later before Harry and Hermione found a day where they were both free.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hermione asked Ethan for what felt like the hundredth time since they decided that he would be sleeping over at one of his football teammates.

"Mum! I'll be fine, I promise! The other boys and I will just be staying in and play video games, maybe some football in the backyard. I'll be home tomorrow afternoon," Ethan retorted, rolling his eyes at his silly mother.

"Do you have everything you'll need?"

"Yes, you packed and checked my stuff three times already," her son pointed out. There was a honk of a car and both looked towards the black sedan parked in front of the lobby entrance of their flat building. A woman left the car and met them with a smile, "Hi, Hermione! My Jason is quite glad you allowed Ethan to spend the night with us."

"Hi, Clarissa! Oh, it's nothing. I'm sure the boys will have so much fun together," she turned towards Ethan, "You will behave yourself and listen to Mr. and Mrs. Baker, alright?" Ethan nodded, then hugged his mother. "Go and have fun. I love you, little man." Ethan let go of his mother and followed the other woman to the parked car. After he got into the car, he opened the window and waved at her. "See you tomorrow! Love you, Mum!" Hermione waved back and watched as the car left. She stood there even after the car was already out of sight. She sighed and looked at her watch. Three o'clock. Plenty of time to get ready since Harry told her he would pick her up at half-past six. She went back to her flat and decided to take a long bath. It'd been a long time since she had a dip in her bathtub so she wanted to use this opportunity of having the house to herself to pamper herself just a little bit.

The past two weeks had been quite busy, both at the bookshop and _The Magic Touch_. The final preparations for the upcoming book launch at her shop were already laid out that week, they only needed to wait a week for the actual event to happen. There was a sudden surge of events coming in for _The Magic Touch_. It seemed like a great number of young witches and wizards were coming of age this season and their families would like to throw them parties, so she and Margarethe were busy planning their parties.

This was the first time in two weeks where she was able to get a day to herself. When she learned of her free day, she immediately contacted Harry to tell him. He was busy in training, as well. He and the team went to Scotland for a week-long boot camp and he had only come back to London the day before. They did talk on the phone practically every night since that first call from Harry. They would also send messages whenever they could get a breather from their daily routine. She didn't know what Harry had planned for them tonight but she could not help the excitement from growing inside of her. This was something she hadn't experienced before and it was both thrilling and scary at the same time. She wasn't a teenager anymore, for Merlin's sake!

She still wasn't sure if getting involved with Harry Potter was a good idea but she couldn't deny the way he made her feel. Whenever she thought of it not being Harry's voice on the other side of the phone call, there would be tightness in her stomach and it sickened her. How, in the span of a scant few weeks, did Harry Potter become a conspicuous part of her daily life?

After half an hour in the bath, she proceeded to her wardrobe to choose what to wear. Harry didn't tell her where they were going but he did say to wear something between casual and fancy. She was too busy looking at her clothes that she didn't notice when the fireplace in the sitting room activated and out the floo came her best friend.

"Why are you still not dressed?!" Margarethe exclaimed, looking at her half dressed state from her bedroom door. Hermione jumped a little, startled by the loud voice of her friend.

"Margarethe! What are you doing here?" she asked, a hand on her chest in surprise.

"I wanted to help you get ready for your big date with Mr. Big Shot Seeker!" Margarethe walked into the room and stood beside her, facing the closet. "Where's the little tyke?"

Hermione went to sit on her bed, "His friend's mother already picked him up earlier so I have the house to myself."

"Good! Now, what are you going to wear?" the blonde woman turned to Hermione and put her hands on her hips.

She shook her head, "I… have no idea. It's been a long while since I've gone on a date and I haven't gone shopping recently."

Her friend tsk'd and went about browsing through her clothes. "What is this doing all the way back here?" She was wondering what her friend was talking about when she reached deep into the closet and pulled out a black cocktail dress.

"Why have I not seen you wear this before?! This is absolutely gorgeous! Go on, put it on!" Margarethe waved the dress in front of her. She bought it a few years ago in a moment of insanity after one of her dates told her that she dressed like one of those old maids who had no hope in marrying anyone in their life. So in a fit of hurt and anger, she bought the sexiest black dress she could find. But since she wasn't keen on seeing that arsehole again, she didn't get to wear the dress and promptly forgot it was there. With a sigh, she took the dress and went back to her bathroom to change. She looked at the dress for a minute. It was a simple, off-shoulder black dress with a sweetheart neckline, the bodice would hug all her curves and flow down to an A-line skirt that reached her knees. With her petite frame, her curves would be more pronounced in the figure-hugging dress. She had transfigured her cotton knickers to a seamless thong so as not to be visible on the dress (and for no other reason) before deciding to forego a bra, a charm would suffice to support her slightly ample breasts. She slipped into the dress and magically zipped up the back. She barely glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror before exiting back to her bedroom. Margarethe was busy choosing between two shoes when she came back and when her friend looked up at her, her eyes went wide and a huge smile adorned her pretty face.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione! It looks perfect on you!"

Hermione blushed. She wasn't entirely comfortable with how much the dress was clinging to her body and how it limited her movement but when her friend took her by the shoulders and led her to the full-length mirror in the room, she began to feel differently about it.

"See? Oh, we just need to fix your hair a bit and put on some makeup—" Margarethe made her sit in front of her vanity table and went to grab the things she would need. A combination of hair potions and hair charms later, her hair was in a classy but slightly messy french twist—_Chic, not too formal and yet still fun,_ Margarethe said—and her makeup was glowy but still natural. Her eyebrows were done, mascara and eyeliner enhanced her golden-brown eyes, a slight blush on her cheeks and a pale rose color for her lips. Once done, Margarethe stepped back so both of them could admire her handwork. The woman that stared back at Hermione looked like a strong and confident young woman, far from who she truly was. As if reading her thoughts, the blonde woman put her hands on her shoulder and spoke. "Hun, you don't have to look so surprised. You've always had this beauty in you, you just needed to find it in yourself and show it to the world. You are a strong, independent, intelligent and beautiful young woman. I would bet a whole year's income that _that's_ what Harry sees in you and why he's so into you."

Hermione took a deep breath and slowly released it before turning to her friend, placing a hand on top of the one on her shoulder. "Thank you so much, Marga. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

"Back at you, you silly woman!" She clapped her hands, "Anyway, now is not the time for drama!" She looked Hermione up and down, "And for the last touch." She walked back to the shoes she was pondering over before and picked up the strappy black stilettos. "Here you go, put these on." Hermione did obediently and when she was done putting them on, Margarethe pulled her friend up from the chair and led her back to the full-length mirror.

Seeing the full effect was like a punch in the gut, "Is that really me?"

"Oh hun, of course, it's you! You're going to knock Harry Bleeding Potter's socks off!" Margarethe smirked at her through the mirror, eyebrows bobbing up and down, "And I'm sure he'll have a hell of a difficult time in keeping his hands off you!"

"Margarethe!"

"Come off it, Hermione! You're gorgeous and seriously hot in that dress! He would be a fool not to want to jump your bones the moment he sees you," she laughed. Hermione thought she probably didn't need the added blush on her cheeks because they had grown warmer because of her friend's words. Did she expect something like that to happen tonight? Was she hoping for it? Would she want it? It was all she could do not to blush even further when her mind shouted a resounding _YES_ to all her questions. She took the black purse see placed on her vanity table earlier and the silver shawl that Margarethe offered her. She was about to thank her friend again when the chime of the doorbell could be heard in the house. The two women looked at each other.

"I'll get the door! You wait here until I call for you, okay?" Margarethe ordered then promptly vanished from the room before Hermione aired any protest. She began pacing in her room, her nerves everywhere. She could hear voices speaking from downstairs and it made her even more nervous.

_Okay, it's just a date, _she told herself—more like trying to convince herself—_you've been to dates before. This isn't really any different from them._

_It actually is, you know, _another voice in her head told her, _You've never been on a date with a man like him._

_Thanks a lot, _she rolled her eyes._ So much for calming my nerves._

"Hermione!" Margarethe called from the bottom of the stairs, "Harry's here."

Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly to gain at least a bit of semblance of calm, she went ahead and exited her room.

_Showtime._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Just a quick warning for this chapter. Smut Alert! Thanks again to TyrannicPuppy and Untold Harmony for being my beta's! 3**

* * *

He was too early, he knew. He told Hermione he would pick her up at half-past six but he was already dressed and ready to go by half-past five. He was too wired, excited, and nervous to wait in his house for the time to pass so he apparated to Diagon Alley and went to a shop owned by one of his closest friends.

Neville Longbottom was busy tending to some of the plants on display when the chime by the door sounded and Harry entered the shop. _The Green Room_ was what kept Neville preoccupied while Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was on break during the summer season, where he had been the Herbology professor for the past two years after finishing his mastery.

"Harry!" Neville exclaimed in surprise as he looked up to see who came into the shop.

"Hey, Neville!" He smiled at his friend and gave him a brief hug as he approached him.

"What are you doing here?" Neville inquired after they ended the hug.

"Uh, actually I just needed to stretch my legs, you know?" Harry said, his hand reached up to rub the back of his neck.

Neville looked at his friend closely. "You're nervous about something," he observed.

Harry sighed and nodded. He walked towards the counter and sat on the high chair in front of it. Neville simply waited for his friend to gather his thoughts and speak.

"I just…" Harry began. "I have a date with Hermione in an hour. I have everything planned and made sure things will go off without a hitch."

Neville nodded. He knew Harry wasn't much of a planner. He was more of a let's-play-it-by-ear-and-wing-it kind of guy so for him to plan a date to a T was something new to Neville.

"And you're nervous because?"

Harry sighed again. "I want everything to be perfect. Hermione deserves nothing less. I..." He looked up at him and Neville was surprised by the emotions in his friend's emerald eyes. "I've never felt this way about any woman before."

Neville had met Hermione Granger before Harry had even met her. _The Magic Touch_ had gotten him as their go-to supplier for flowers and plants when their events would require them. He had developed a good working relationship with Margarethe and Hermione, and he enjoyed an easy friendship with both women. When Harry found out about his connection with Hermione, he was a little put-out and Neville simply laughed at him. Harry had spoken to their circle of friends about the woman he had met over a month ago at the Puddlemere United Quidditch Stadium. He told them how the said woman had rejected his invitation to dinner twice and how he and the woman's best friend had tricked her into having dinner with him. And finally, getting the woman's consent to going out with him again. Neville had to admit, he had never seen his friend act this way over anybody before. Certainly, Harry wasn't one of those suave men like Draco Malfoy who seemed to have graduated magna cum laude at the School of Flirting and Smooth Talking, but he wasn't hopeless, either. He had had girlfriends and the occasional fling over the years but he knew his friend had never been in love with any of them. Maybe Hermione Granger would be the one to finally capture his friend's heart.

He nodded at his friend before walking towards the collection of flowers on the other side of the shop. "You'll be fine, Harry," he said as he grabbed a couple of red and pink camellias, red and white carnations, coral roses, orchids, yellow tulips, and ferns. He then stood behind the counter and began arranging the flowers he had taken. "Hermione isn't like one of those fussy women you would usually go out with."

"She really isn't. It's the first time I feel like I don't have to worry about being myself," Harry replied as he watched what his friend was doing. "That's not to say I'm not going to do my best to impress her." Neville preferred to do his arrangements manually rather than magically, and they usually turn out quite remarkable. Once he was done, he gave the bouquet of assorted flowers to his friend and smiled.

"Then you shouldn't worry too much. If what you say about Hermione is true, then all you need to do is relax and let the night play out by itself."

Harry nodded; his friend's advice was simple yet sound. He was still a little nervous but he felt a little better. He looked at the bouquet Neville had created and knowing his friend, the flowers meant something. He looked at his watch to check the time and saw he had a little less than a quarter of an hour before he had to pick up Hermione. He decided to ask Neville about the meaning of the flowers some other time, blew out a breath and stood up.

Harry scooped up some galleons from his pocket but Neville shook his head. "Just tell her where you got them after she tells you how much she loved them. She'll know." Harry laughed and nodded. Neville went around the counter and walked with Harry towards the door of the shop. He clapped his friend on the shoulder as Harry opened the door and gave him a smile. "Stop worrying, alright? You don't have to be anyone other than yourself ."

Harry nodded and clapped Neville's shoulder in farewell. He stepped out of the shop and took a deep breath. The weather was just right, not too hot, even if it was summer. He realized his talk with Neville had helped keep him from panicking. It would not do for him or Hermione if they started the night with him in a panic attack. He chuckled while heading towards the apparition point, wondering what was going on with him. Never had a woman affected him in such a way. Thoughts of her had consumed him these past weeks when he wasn't in practice, even if he'd only been in her presence for a total of four times. After the surprise dinner and mind-blowing kiss after, they had been calling and texting each other everyday. Invigorated by the thought of finally seeing her again, he stepped onto the apparition point in haste. Destination and Hermione's beautiful face in his mind, he spun on the spot and vanished with just a tiny pop.

It took him no time to walk from the apparition point he appeared at, to the front door of Hermione's flat. He did a cursory check of his appearance and made sure that his muggle suit wasn't rumpled or wrinkled. e checked his breath and swept a hand through his hair (he knew it didn't do anything to fix his hair at all since it had a mind of its own) before pressing the doorbell beside the door.

He heard movement from within the flat and his nerves threatened to surface but he did his best to push them down. There were footsteps approaching the door causing him to stand up a little straighter and took a deep breath. The door opened and a familiar blonde woman greeted him with a smile.

"Harry!"

Harry returned her smile. "Hello, Margarethe."

She gave him a sly smile. "Beautiful flowers you got there. Well, come in! Hermione will be down in a bit." She gestured for him to enter.

"Thank you," he said as he stepped over the threshold. He took a few steps into the flat and observed his surroundings as Margarethe closed the door. He was immediately hit with the feeling of home and warmth. The space looked entirely lived in and cosy. Warm colours with sporadic splashes of bright colours were found around the flat. The ground floor had an open floor layout. Immediately to his right was a sitting room with comfortable yet mismatched settees and armchairs were placed in front of a fireplace. On the other side of the sitting area could probably be considered as an office/work area. A heavy mahogany desk was placed in front of a floor-ceiling window, with a clear view of the city skyline. Shelves lined the walls, with a television and entertainment system nestled in a gap in the middle of one shelf. From beside the fireplace to the dining room, a six-seater wooden dining table could be found in the middle with low-hanging lights. Across the dining area was a modern-looking kitchen and a wooden counter with bar stools separating it from the sitting area. On his left was a set of stairs leading to the second floor where he guessed the bedrooms would be.

"Have a seat while I call for Hermione." Margarethe said. She directed him towards the sitting area as she headed for the stairs. He was about to take a seat when Margarethe's loud voice made him jump a little. He hoped she didn't notice..

"Hermione! Harry's here!"

She gave him another sly smile before heading towards the kitchen behind him. He decided to peruse the books on the shelves as he waited for Hermione to come down.

"Want anything to drink?" Margarethe asked as she busied herself in the kitchen.

"No, thank you," he replied. Before he could say more, he heard footsteps on their way down. As he turned towards the stairs, he felt all of his breath leave his body and all the blood came rushing downwards to his crotch. Hermione stood at the last step of the stairs, looking at him with a shy smile. He lost his awareness of everything around him except for the gorgeous woman across the room. Harry belatedly realized that his feet had begun moving before he even made the conscious decision to approach her. She was wearing a simple black dress which hugged _all_ of her wonderful curves. On her feet were the sexiest pair of strappy sandals he had ever seen (or maybe it was she who made them sexy). Her hair was up but a few tendrils made their way down on the sides of her face and neck. Her face had the barest hint of makeup (just the way he liked it) but only served to highlight her natural beauty.

"Hi," she finally spoke, her voice husky and just barely above a whisper.

It took him awhile to realize she had spoken. "You are absolutely stunning."

Hermione's cheeks reddened at his compliment and looked down. It amazed him every time that this wonderful woman did not realize how beautiful she was. He reached out his hand to her, his heart swelling as she took it without hesitating and got down from the last step of the stairs. He saw her eyes move down and realized he was still holding the bouquet. Her hand still in his, he brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand then gave her the flowers. Hermione's eyes brightened as she studied the assortment of flowers and smelled their scent.

"These are beautiful, Harry. Thank you," she said softly, her eyes still on the flowers.

Harry shrugged, a roguish smile on his face. "You're welcome. I got them from _The Green Room_."

Hermione's eyes flew to his, a delighted smile on her lips. "You know Neville?"

"He's one of my best mates from school."

A clap from behind Harry burst their little bubble. "Alright! Enough mooning over each other. I'll just take these." Margarethe took the flowers from Hermione's hands and began pushing the couple towards the front door. "Better get a move on or you'll be late!"

Harry surfaced from his daze and remembered that they, indeed, had a reservation at 7 o'clock and would be late if they lingered there any longer.

Margarethe handed Hermione her shawl and a small handbag. "Have fun tonight, alright?" She was giving her friend what Harry thought was a meaningful look but did not know what it meant.

Hermione nodded and gave her friend's arm a squeeze. "Thank you," she said to Margarethe.

"Oh, posh! Go!" Margarethe proceeded to push them out of the door, which Harry had opened while the two friends had their moment. "Do take care of my girl, Harry. And please, _please_ don't come home early!"

All three of them shared a laugh before Harry turned towards the woman in front of him and offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"

She gave him another disarming smile that threatened to weaken his knees. "We shall."

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked him as an expression of curiosity filled her face. Harry had no doubt she had tried to keep herself from asking outright where they were going the moment Margarethe closed the front door of her flat.

He simply gave her a fond smile. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you, right?"

"Oh, but the suspense is killing me."

He laughed. "I'm sure. But I believe you will appreciate it once you see it."

"Alright. I do love surprises."

"I know." He fished out a short rope from the inner pocket of his jacket, her hand remained resting on his bent arm. "Hold this."

"A portkey?" she inquired.

"It is. We will have to portkey to the location. This will activate the moment you touch it."

Hermione nodded and touched her finger on the rope. There was a swirl of colours one second then they appeared in the centre of a small room that looked like a modern antechamber. There was a pair of chairs that faced each other, with a small table between them, at the back of the room. A table with refreshments was positioned on the wall perpendicular to the chairs and a pair of wooden doors stood across them. Their observation of the room was cut short when one of the doors opened and a woman entered.

"Just in time, _Monsieur _Potter and _Madame_ Granger! _Bienvenue!"_ the woman said. "_Je suis _Maria. I shall be your attendant for tonight. This way, please." Maria opened the door and they could hear the collective noise of the restaurant.

"Thank you, Maria." Harry led the way out of the room as he followed the attendant, Hermione's hand held tight in his. He heard her gasp the moment they emerged from the room and moved into the main floor of the restaurant. The restaurant was mostly surrounded by glass, with an unobstructed view of the lighted Eiffel Tower. The roof of the restaurant was made of glass, as well, with dark metal beams criss crossing along the ceiling. The light around the restaurant was set low and candles on each table were lit giving the restaurant a more intimate atmosphere.

"_Oh, Harry!_" Her voice was breathless. A shiver ran down his spine upon hearing it, causing him to look at her. "This is _Les Ombres! _You brought me to _Paris!"_

He gave her a soft smile. "Didn't you say how much you've missed Paris?"

The smile she gave him told him their night was off to a good start.

Maria led them to a table outside the main restaurant beside one of the glass walls that had the perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. They arrived just in time for the sunset and after the tower lights were turned on. Harry directed Hermione to sit on the chair directly across the Eiffel Tower and he took a seat on her right.

"_Monsieur_ Potter had already pre-selected your wine for tonight. Here is the menu for our five-course meal." Maria handed each of them a menu that was different from the usual menu they gave their diners. "I shall fetch your wine and will be back for your choices, _oui_?"

Hermione turned to the woman with a smile, "_Oui, merci _Maria. _Nous serons prêts avec nos choix d'ici là._" (We will be ready with our choices by then.)

Maria's eyes lit up with delight when she realized Hermione could speak French. "Oh, _ne t'en fais pas, Mademoiselle_! Take your time, there is no rush." She gave them another smile before turning back towards the main restaurant.

Hearing Hermione speak French definitely did something to Harry's insides. Everyone thought that the language and accent were sexy, but hearing it from Hermione, it was downright lethal. She turned to him, probably to say something, but paused when she saw him staring at her.

"Harry, is something wrong?"

He was shaken out of his thoughts upon realizing she was talking to him. "Pardon?"

Her eyes held worry as she asked him again if something was wrong. _Wrong_?! How could she think something was wrong when being with her, here and every time he was with her, felt completely and utterly right? He took her hand which was resting on the table and brought it to his lips as he had done earlier in her flat.

"Everything is perfect."

And it was. They had given Maria their choices once she had returned with their wine, which was similar to the one they had at _Les Envies_ in London weeks ago. Their food arrived not too long after and both enjoyed their scrumptious meal. Conversation flowed flawlessly between them. They spoke about what had kept them busy in the time between the last time they saw one other and the present day, even if they had spoken on their mobile almost everyday. Once their meal was finished and their wine was consumed, Hermione was having a conversation with Maria in full French. Harry was not fluent but he knew enough words and phrases to understand the context of the topic. He let her voice wash over him as he watched the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. A soft touch on his hand had his attention diverted to his companion.

"I'm so sorry. I hadn't been back here in two years and I found I miss conversing in French. Although Margarethe and I sometimes speak it, we've grown accustomed to talking in English since moving to London," she said, her expression and tone apologetic.

"There's nothing to apologize for. I love hearing you speak the language." He paused and took a sip of water. "I'm quite impressed with how you can switch to either language and keep the accent flawlessly."

"My parents were British, you see. So even after moving here, we mostly spoke in English. I only ever spoke French when in Beauxbatons."

It was the first time she'd spoken of her parents since he met her. It piqued his curiosity but he decided not to question her about them just yet. There was a sadness in her voice that he detected when she had mentioned her parents, as casual as she tried to sound. She sighed and looked at the Eiffel Tower. "It truly is beautiful, isn't it?" The lights of the tower shone on her face, illuminating her features.

He never took his eyes away from her as he answered, "It's the most beautiful sight I have ever seen."

She looked at him and she must have understood what he actually meant since a blush appeared on her cheeks. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Potter." There was mischief in her eyes that cause heat to go through his body. He cleared his throat in an attempt to calm himself.

"Would you like to walk around before heading home?"

She nodded. "I'd love to."

* * *

They had returned to Hermione's flat building via the same portkey they had used to go to Paris. They appeared in front of her door, thankfully with no witnesses to their arrival around. They had walked towards the Eiffel Tower and spent some time there. They took photos of each other and together in front of the tower, and simply enjoyed each other's company. Now, they're back in London and it seemed their perfect night was coming to an end.

Hermione turned towards Harry and gave him a soft smile. "Thank you for such a wonderful night, Harry. Even living in Paris, I have never had a night like this before. So, thank you."

Harry took a step closer to her and cupped her face with his hands. "You deserve it and more. You don't have to thank me. I wanted to do it for you. I hope you'll let me do it again."

"You don't have to spend a crazy amount of money-which I'm sure this date did-just to take me out again, Harry."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," he said.

She shook her head in refusal.

"Hey," he whispered and she looked up at him again. "Don't think about it, okay? Just enjoy it."

She sighed. "You are quite stubborn."

He laughed and gave her lips a quick peck. "I am. But so are you." He let go of her face and took a step backwards. "Tonight was amazing. And have I told you how beautiful you are tonight?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but there was a smile on her lips. "I've lost count already." She turned towards her door. She already opened the door when she paused in her movements and turned towards him. Harry tilted his head to the side, a question in his gaze.

"Would you…" she began, her cheeks reddening, "Would you like to, uh, to come in?"

Harry's breath was caught in his lungs. _Did she…?_

"I would love to," he answered.

She nodded then proceeded to enter the flat. She opened the door wider to let him in, which he did not hesitate to do lest she changed her mind at the last minute. She walked past him after she closed the door and headed to the kitchen.

"Please make yourself comfortable." She pointed to the sitting area. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Tea would do just fine."

"Alright." She set on making their tea. There was a certain tension in the air the moment they entered the flat. Maybe because it was the first time that they were finally together alone. Sure, they had moments alone with just the two of them but there had always been the idea of someone intruding. But this time, it was just them, completely alone. He had no expectations on how this night would end. Maybe it would just be a repeat of that wonderful snog they shared before.

Hermione arrived with a tray floating behind her and she set it down on the coffee table in front of the settee he was sitting on. He watched her as she poured two cups of tea. She placed one cup in front of him and they made their tea the way they each preferred. Once done, Harry sat back as Hermione raised her wand and lit the fireplace. Putting down her wand on the coffee table, she took off her shoes, tucked her feet under her bum and settled comfortably at the end of the settee, facing him.

"You know," she began after taking a sip of her tea, "I have never invited a man into my flat after a date before."

"Why is that?"

She gave him a half-shrug before turning her stare towards the fire. "I… I'm not entirely sure. This is my safe space," she looked around the room then returned her gaze on him. "I guess, I never felt safe enough with my other dates to let them in my home."

"And me?"

"I don't know what it is about you but from the moment I met you, I have always felt safe in your presence."

"Of course, I would never do anything to hurt you," he responded without hesitating. To know that she trusted him enough to let him into her sanctuary and that she felt safe with him elated him.

"I know. Thank you, Harry," she said, her voice soft.

The light from the fireplace danced across her features and he was overcome with the all-consuming need to kiss her. He took her half-finished tea from her hands and put it on the table beside his cup. He reached up and cupped one of her cheeks, his heart hammered in his chest when she leaned into his touch. "I desperately want to kiss you."

She was looking at him straight in the eyes when she whispered, "Yes, please."

He didn't need to be told twice. Those two words, which she first spoke to him weeks ago, now had a completely different meaning to him. He used the hand on her cheek to guide her to him as he met her halfway for the most passionate kiss he had ever experienced in his life. His free arm wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to him. His tongue teased the seam of her lips and she parted them to give him access. Their tongues battled for dominance and the noises she was making shot straight to his hardening cock. His need to kiss her more was great but the need for air was greater. He reluctantly pulled away from her and opened his eyes to look at her. Her lips were apart and swollen from the intensity of the kiss. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy just like his own. Slowly she opened her eyes and the passion and lust he saw there only served to fuel his own. Her next words, he had no other explanation for it, simply made him lose his mind.

"I want you."

He didn't need to ask her if she was sure. If there was one thing he knew about Hermione, she never did anything half-baked.

"Here?" He asked in a whisper. She shook her head.

"Bedroom," was all she said before standing up and pulling him towards the staircase. Before she even took a step on the first step, he pulled her back to him and kissed her again. He grabbed the back of her legs and lifted her up. She wrapped her shapely legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He began his trek up the stairs and nearly stumbled twice but he was able to regain his footing. She giggled both times but only resumed kissing him.

Once they reached the landing of the second floor, he pulled away just a tiny bit from her. "Where to?"

She was busy kissing every patch of his skin she could reach. "Second door, on the right." She punctuated each word with a kiss on him. He hurriedly made his way to the door she indicated and opened it. Harry kicked it closed with his foot then leaned Hermione's back against the door as he began kissing down her neck. All night he had been tempted by how soft and sexy her neck had looked. He placed open kisses up and down her neck, sucking and biting at some places. He would probably leave a few marks but he didn't care at the moment. His hands moved from beneath her thighs to her arse and squeezed them, causing her legs to tighten around him. His trousers were so tight now from his hardening cock and the warmth coming from between her legs was just making him harder.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Hermione whispered in his ear, causing him to shiver.

"We can't have that now, can we?" He slowly put her down, her body sliding deliciously against his. He took his muggle coat off as she began unbuttoning his shirt. Her nimble fingers finished with the buttons in no time and pushed the clothing off his shoulders. As he was unbuttoning the cuffs, she started working on his trousers. The back of her fingers brushed against his erection causing him to groan.

"These look unbearably tight, Harry," she teased.

"That would be your fault, witch," he growled.

"Well, let me make it up to you, then." She lowered the zipper of his trousers and let it fall to the floor. He removed his shoes as she knelt in front of him and helped him take off his socks. Harry stood there with just his black boxer briefs on and there, in front of him, was this gorgeous woman on her knees, in a sinful black dress, looking up at him with undisguised lust. This was beyond any fantasy he'd ever had. She reached up, hooked her fingers at the sides of his underwear and slowly brought them down. His raging erection sprang free from the cage it was in and he almost sighed in relief before her warm mouth wrapped around the head of his cock.

"Gods, Hermione!" He moaned as she began moving up and down his length. One of her hands grabbed the base of his cock while the other played with his balls. His hips started moving with her bobbing head, both making noises of pleasure. It felt so good, _too _good, that he was in danger of finishing before they had really even begun. He tugged at her head gently, trying to tell her to stop, but she kept going.

"Hermione, baby," Harry finally spoke, trying to get her attention even as his voice filled with the pleasure he was feeling. "Baby, you need to stop or I'm going to come."

She released his cock from her mouth and stared up at him. She was about to ask when he rushed to explain. "It felt so good, Hermione. I swear. Someday, I want to come in your mouth but right now I want to come inside you more."

Her eyes fluttered as she flushed at his words. He grabbed her hands and led her to the end of the bed. "Turn around," he told her.

Hermione did as he said and turned her back to him. He kissed her shoulders from one end to another then he kissed her neck again as he pulled the zipper of her dress down to her lower back. The dress slipped off her body and pooled on the floor. He held her arms and turned her again, his breath quickly leaving him as he gazed at her body. His staring must have made her self-conscious because Hermione lifted her arms to cover her naked breasts and stomach. He caught her arms and shook his head. "Don't."

"You're staring," she whispered.

"Of course, I'm staring. You have no idea how delicious your body is." And it was. Her breasts were plump and would fill his hands perfectly, her waist was trim even if her stomach was a bit rounded. She had a pair of hips only a mother would have but it just added to her allure. And her legs! He had noticed her legs that first meeting and they were one of his favourite parts of her.

She blushed demurely at his words, it didn't even matter that she'd just had his cock in her mouth mere minutes ago. This woman was a study of contradiction and it only served to excite him more. He pulled her body flush to his and ravaged her mouth. He gently pushed her to lie on the bed. She pulled away from their kiss so she could move to the head of the bed. He crawled towards her, a predatory look in his eyes. When he covered her body with his and her breasts brushed against his chest, he felt her shiver.

"Cold?"

"Not with you here." She gave him a sultry smile that he had never seen before. He gave her a lingering kiss before moving down her body, kissing and licking every inch of skin he could see and reach. Putting one hardened nipple in his mouth, he tongued and sucked it as his fingers played with the other. Hermione arched her back at the sensations that ran through her when he lightly bit the bud in his mouth. He then switched to the other breast to give it equal attention. The hand that wasn't busy with her breasts trailed down to the apex of her thighs, slowly rubbing in circles. He could feel her wetness through her knickers and he couldn't wait to feel that wetness surround his aching cock. With a last lick on her nipple, he moved down her body, showering her with more open-mouthed kisses. Upon reaching her hips, he looked back at her and saw her looking at him with hooded eyes. When she gave him a nod, giving him permission, he pulled her lacy black knickers down her legs. He bunched up the fabric in his hand, placed it on his nose and inhaled her arousal.

"Mm. You smell divine."

Before she could even come up with a retort, he threw the knickers to the side, parted her silky skined legs, and thrust into her to the hilt. Both let out a moan of pleasure. He leaned forward, his weight supported by his bent arms placed either side of her head, and kissed her softly.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Just give me a moment to get used to you. It's been… a while since the last time-"

Harry closed his eyes, feeling guilty for causing her even just a bit of pain. "I'm so-"

"Hey, you didn't hurt me." Her hand cupped his cheek, making him open his eyes to look at her. There was a naughty glint in her eyes. "You're just too big, is all."

He chuckled. "And you're unbelievably tight." He moved his hips experimentally. Hermione moaned, so he began slowly thrusting in and out of her.

"Faster, Harry. Please." Of course, he would not, _could _not, deny her. He moved his hips faster and she was making the most erotic sounds, and he fucked her harder. She was so wet, so tight, and he just wanted to keep fucking her for the rest of his life. Their combined moans and groans, along with the sound of slapping skin was too much for Harry. Hermione's nails were digging into his back and her inner walls were rippling around his cock told him that she was close. He reached between them and pressed on that pleasure button hidden in her folds. With just one swipe on her clit, Hermione exploded. The way she looked when she orgasmed was too much for Harry so he followed her over the edge, emptying himself deep inside her.

They remained unmoving on the bed, still trying to catch their breath. Harry realized he must be crushing Hermione with his weight so he moved to her side. Not wanting to separate from her for too long, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her towards him. He laid on his side facing her, one arm under her head while the other was wrapped around her waist.

Feeling that his heartbeat had returned almost to normal, he looked down at Hermione who raised her head to face him. A lazy grin appeared on his face which she returned. "That was… I don't even know how to describe it."

"It was amazing, Harry," she replied as she fought back a yawn. It was late and they had an eventful night.

"Sleep now, baby."

"Hm-hmm. " She burrowed her face on his neck and fell asleep almost instantly. When Harry felt her even breathing, he summoned the blankets wandlessly and covered their naked bodies. He gave her another kiss on the top of her head.

"Goodnight, Hermione."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Someone asked in the reviews what the flowers in the bouquet meant. Here they are:**

**Red camellia - _You're a flame in my heart_**

**Pink camellia - _Longing for you_**

**Red carnation - _Admiration_**

**White carnation - _Innocence, Pure love_**

**Coral rose - _Enthusiasm, Desire_**

**Orchid - _Love, Beauty, and Strength_**

**Yellow Tulip - _Sunshine in your smile_**

**Fern - _Sincerity, humility; also, magic and bonds of love_**

**Hope you all liked my choices of flowers! So, it's New Year's Eve on my part of the world and I'm posting this chapter to celebrate the coming new year (Yey! And it being Tuesday has _nothing_ to do with the update. *wink* *wink* LOL) Hope you guys enjoy this one! Much love to my betas! 3**

* * *

Hermione normally did not have trouble emerging from the land of dreams in the morning. Usually, once she was awake, she would be out of bed in an instant, moving about to get ready for the day ahead. However, this morning was different. She was warm, comfortable, and she wanted to savour the feeling of having a hot (figuratively and literally) and willing body holding her. They must have barely moved after they had sex because she was still wrapped in his arms where she remembered falling asleep in. Opening her eyes, she lifted her head to look at Harry's sleeping face but was surprised to see his bright emerald eyes on her, a smile already present on his face.

"Good morning," he greeted her, as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good morning," she replied, feeling a bit shy. She didn't know why she would feel shy even after what they had done the previous night. "Have you been awake long?"

"Just a few minutes, I think." Harry looked behind him, at the digital clock she had placed on her bedside table. "It's still quite early."

He turned back towards her and lowered his head, giving her a long, tender kiss. They pulled away just a fraction before coming together again, this time in a fiery kiss. Harry moved to push her on her back on the bed but she fought him, successfully putting him under her. She pushed the blankets away from their bodies as she straddled him, aligning his morning wood with her slit. He groaned at the contact and moved to grab her hips which she preempted by taking hold of his hands and held them on each side of his head.

"Mmm. You like taking charge, huh?" He asked her slyly.

"Mm. Maybe once in a while," she replied, a smirk already on her lips. Her hair was a mess, she was sure, but with the way Harry was looking at her at that moment, she realized she didn't really care one bit. She ground her hips on his and they moaned at the same time.

"Well, then. You can do whatever you want with me, baby," he quipped, his voice heavy with desire.

Hermione giggled. "You might regret saying that."

"Try me," he challenged.

And try him, she did. She rubbed her wet slit along his erection for a few moments before raising her hips. She let go of his hands so she could hold his cock and align it to her entrance. Slowly, she sank down and welcomed his thick, hard length into her sunlight hitting the windows provided much-needed light, allowing Harry to see everything. Hermione closed her eyes at the sensation of having Harry inside her again. She felt full, stretched, and _perfect_ with him inside her warmth. His hands roamed all over her body and legs as if he needed to touch all of her at the same time. She placed her hands on his chest and began moving up and down. One of his hands settled on her hip while the other played with her breasts.

Her movements were slow and deliberate, taking him deep inside her, deeper than he had been last night. His hips thrust to meet hers in perfect synchronization, as if they had been doing this ancient dance together far longer than a single night. Hermione could feel her legs shake from the effort as the heat pooled in her abdomen. She was close, so close.

Harry probably felt it as well because he sat up and wrapped one of his arms around her waist. He grabbed her arse while his other hand slid between them. Searching fingers found her clit and began circling around the bundle of nerves, pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Harry's lips latched onto hers as she came, swallowing the guttural moan that came out of her throat. She realized that Harry had not reached his peak yet so she kept moving on his lap, riding him. She licked the skin just under his ear and whispered. "Come for me, Harry."

Half a dozen thrusts later, he came, and the jerking movement of his cock inside her made her orgasm again. It was glorious.

They clung to each other as they regained their breath and their strength. Hermione lifted her head from Harry's shoulder to look at him. He used his hands to sweep away her hair from her face and gave her a smile.

"Hi."

"Hello."

They laughed. Harry dropped back on the bed, bringing Hermione with him. She folded her arms on his chest and rested her chin on them to look at him. He rested one of his hands at the back of her head, caressing her hair, while he folded the other arm behind his head.

"I've never had a man stay the night before," she said, her voice quiet.

"Not even Ethan's father?" She wasn't exactly surprised at the question. She had a son, so she must have had sex before, and did even after Ethan was born and she tried dating.

She shook her head. "No, what happened to Ethan's father and I happened at a place of no importance, beyond giving me Ethan."

He nodded his acceptance of her answer. "I hope one day you'll be able to tell me the story about Ethan's father."

"One day, maybe." She didn't want to kill the mood but it was inevitable whenever Damien was mentioned.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Harry spoke when she remained silent longer than she should have been. She looked up to see the guilty expression on his face.

"Oh! No, no. It's alright," she said, hoping to alleviate his guilt. She touched his face with the back of her fingers. "Someday, I'll tell you everything about my past. I just hope you won't go running away as fast as you can."

"I thought you already dropped the bomb on me when you told me about Ethan?" He removed his hand from behind his head and cupped her face with both hands. "I doubt there's anything you could say that would make me run away from you."

"You say that now-"

Harry bent to kiss her. "Shush. We'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay?" He gave her a look, imploring her to agree.

She sighed. "Very well."

"Good. Now, how about some breakfast?"

* * *

Harry insisted that he would make breakfast for them. Hermione refused, of course, but after a quick romp on the kitchen counter, she gladly gave him the reins in her kitchen.

"Do you have practice today?" She asked, biting into some sliced apples while Harry fried racks of bacon.

"Nope, we have the week off before the pre-season games start next week," he answered while he transferred the cooked meat onto a plate.

She tilted her head. "Shouldn't you be practising for the pre-season games?"

"Well," he said, as he placed a plate filled with eggs, bacon and French toast in front of her and on the place beside her. He walked around and took a seat right next to Hermione. "Coach Lewis may want his players to always be in top shape and ready to play but he also believes that to achieve that, we would need ample rest and relaxation."

She gave a look sideways, a smirk on her face. "I don't think what we did last night and this morning constituted rest and relaxation."

Harry raised his fork, "Ah, but that's what you think! I have it on good authority that sex is the best form of rest and relaxation."

She laughed, "And whose authority is that?"

"It's-" What Harry was about to say was cut off when the front door suddenly opened and they both turned to see who it was. Hermione's heart jumped to her throat when she saw Ethan, her nine-year-old son, standing there holding the door, brown eyes so similar to her own opened wide as he looked at his mother and at the man sitting beside her. It was fortunate that they decided to dress properly before going down to make breakfast.

"Ethan, sweetheart!" She jumped up and quickly headed towards her silent son, whose eyes were still on Harry. She didn't have time to check what Harry's reaction was to seeing her son, Ethan was more important. "What are you doing home early? Wasn't I supposed to pick you up in the afternoon?"

Without taking his eyes off Harry, Ethan pushed the front door closed behind him and walked up to his mother to give her a peck on the cheek in greeting. That was the only time he broke his gaze away from the man seated at their kitchen counter.

"Mrs. Baker's sister was brought to the hospital this morning because she was going to have her baby, so Matty and his parents had to go there early. They just dropped us off before heading to the hospital. They didn't have the time to call each of our parents since they were in a hurry," Ethan explained, shrugging his shoulders at the end.

"I see. I'll just call Clarissa later to ask how her sister is doing." She took his duffel bag and placed it beside the couch. "Are you hungry? Have you had breakfast?"

Ethan shook his head. "There wasn't time."

"Alright, then." She took a deep breath and turned to face the kitchen with her hands on Ethan's shoulder and began walking.

"Would you like some French toast, love? With eggs and bacon?" Hermione asked.

Again, the little boy's eyes were fixed on the dark-haired man sitting by the kitchen counter. "Sure, Mum."

Harry sprung into action. "I'll make them. Both of you just sit there." Thinking that Harry wanted to put distance between him and the mother and child, Hermione resisted letting out a sigh. _Here we go._

She watched Harry move around the kitchen with ease, as if he'd been there many times before.

"I know you," Ethan said, his eyes alight with recognition. "You're Harry Potter! Puddlemere United's star Seeker!"

Harry, who was currently cooking the boy's breakfast, turned to Ethan and gave him a bow and smile. "At your service, good sir."

Hermione didn't know what to make of his actions but then the little boy turned to her, his face full of wonder. "How did you two meet?" He moved his attention to his mum. "Why didn't you say you knew Harry Potter?!" This wasn't what she had expected how Ethan would react in finding a man he didn't know in their house. Both turned towards Harry when they heard him laugh as he finished up making the additional set of breakfast foods. He placed the plate in front of the boy and leaned on his arms on the counter, facing him. He summoned a pair of cutlery with a wave of his wand, which he passed onto the boy so he could start eating.

He watched Ethan eat for a little while before he spoke again. "I met your mum about a month or so ago when she got lost in the Puddlemere United Quidditch Stadium."

"Wha' we' you doin' de'?" Ethan asked his mother with food still in his mouth.

Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Please swallow your food first before speaking."

Ethan swallowed quickly. "Sorry. So, what were you doing there at the stadium, Mum?"

"Aunt Marga and I were putting together a party for their team."

"Cool! What kind of party was it?"

"It was a charity event. Pretty boring, really. Lots of stodgy old people," Harry answered, wrinkling his nose amusingly with feigned disgust. Hermione chuckled. She picked up her coffee when Ethan decided to be straight to the point.

"So, are you dating my mum?"

Hermione accidentally swallowed the liquid in her mouth and started coughing. The young boy turned to her and patted her back, a worried look on his face. "Are you okay, Mum?"

Harry handed her a glass of water and several napkins. He was sporting an amused expression that made her want to smack him. She gave him a look, telling him to answer the question her son had poised upon them.

"We just officially had our first date last night. You could say that we are dating." He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he looked at Hermione, an eyebrow raised, as if challenging her to deny what he had just said.

Ethan looked at Harry then at his mum. "Okay," was all he said then went on to finish his breakfast.

Well, that was entirely not how she had anticipated this scenario would go. She and Harry shared a look before he glanced down at his watch.

"I know I said I didn't have practice today but I do need to run a few errands. I can be back here… let's say, in 3 hours?"

"Oh, you don't need to come back so soon." Hermione looked down at her son who was almost done eating his food, ignoring the adults' conversation.

"I really don't have other plans," he shrugged then turned to Ethan. "How do you feel about going out to see a movie, Ethan?"

The boy looked up at him with such a hopeful expression. Harry pondered how anyone could deny him anything. He looked a lot like Hermione and he figured she must have been just as adorable as a child. The two men both faced Hermione and waited for her answer.

"Oh! Um. Are you sure you want to spend your free time with us, Harry?"

Harry tilted his head. "Of course."

"Are we going, Mum? Are we? Please say we are," the boy pleaded.

"Well, o-okay then," she said. "If you're sure," she told Harry.

Harry clapped his hands once, then removed the apron around his waist. "Good. I best be going then, so I can quickly finish my errands. I'll be back, say, around four?"

Mother and son both nodded in assent. "We'll be ready, then."

"Awesome. I'll see the both of you later." Harry went around the counter and gave her a kiss which was dangerously close to her lips and ruffled Ethan's hair.

"See you later, Harry!" Ethan called out to him as Harry opened the door to leave. He gave them a little wave and a cheeky smile then closed the door behind him. Hermione let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Her son put down the utensils he was using, signalling he was done eating. "I can't believe you're dating Harry Potter, Mum! He's just the best Seeker in the league AND the youngest to ever play in the World Cup!" He exclaimed. She guessed he held his excitement back while Harry was there. She looked at her son fondly as he fanboyed over Harry Potter.

Hermione sighed. "And does that bother you?"

Ethan looked at her questioningly. "Bothered about what?"

"That I'm dating Harry Potter."

He took his time to think about it, tapping his finger on his chin as was his habit when deep in thought. "No, not really." He reached over and drank some water before continuing, "As long as he's nice to you and you're happy."

Hermione couldn't help the smile that grew on her face. "Are you just saying that because I'm dating Puddlemere United's star Seeker?"

"Nuh-uh! It doesn't matter how famous or even who he is, Mum. You could be dating another girl like Aunt Marga does, and I'd be fine with it as long as they're good to you."

Hermione laughed out loud. She was pleased with her son's open-mindedness and acceptance. It did help that Margarethe was so open about dating both men and women that it was easier to explain to Ethan about such relationships. She wrapped an arm around her son's shoulder and hugged him closer to her.

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"Of course, Mum. I love you, too."

Hermione kissed his forehead. "Why don't you bring your bag to your room and straighten up a bit in there? We have a few more hours until we need to get ready and Harry gets back."

"Ugh. Do I have to?"

"Well, I'm not going to clean it for you." Hermione stated, fixing Ethan with the mum look.

"Oh, alright." Ethan gave a dramatic sigh.

Hermione chuckled as she watched her son trot to grab his bag and head to his room upstairs. She didn't expect or even intend for Ethan to meet Harry so soon. But now that they had met, she wondered what was going to happen when she and Harry did not work out. Because she knew if that happened, it wasn't just her heart that's going to break.

* * *

Harry spent almost all of his evenings during his off-week following their date at Hermione's. Sometimes he would visit her at her bookshop in the afternoons, causing her patrons to go into a frenzy upon seeing the famous Harry Potter hanging out at _The Bookend_. Luckily, the press had not yet caught wind of his activities this past week and Hermione hoped it stayed that way for a while. She was not looking forward to the day the press found out about them dating. She was sure that she and her son would not have a minute of peace. Harry already had experience in dealing with them but she didn't. The press was a pack of wolves waiting to pounce on any story which would sell their trashy papers and they would, without a doubt, dig into the past she had left behind in Paris when she moved to England to start a new life. And she needed to protect Ethan from them, more than she needed to protect herself.

"Hermione, the stocks for the latest edition of _Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling are already at the back, along with the new Charms textbooks we ordered," Stephen Bell, one of her staff in _The Bookend_, said which interrupted her musings.

"Right. Can you please receive them and sign the delivery receipts for me? I'm still in the middle of finishing this month's finances," she replied. Which was the truth, until she caught a glimpse of Harry's photo on that day's edition of the Daily Prophet that was atop of her desk and memories of the past week had invaded her thoughts.

Stephen nodded. "Of course, it's not a problem." He turned around and headed towards the door of her office. He stopped by the door frame and turned to her with a teasing smile. "By the way, Harry Potter's here again. That's what? The fourth time this week he's been hanging around here?"

Hermione slouched on her chair with a groan and covered her face with both hands. It wasn't that Harry was being annoying and disrupted their work in the bookshop, but it was more about her embarrassment every time her staff and Margarethe's staff would tease her about him visiting. Her most frequent patrons would tease her, as well, but she knew them enough not to broadcast it to the world which she was thankful for. Some customers would approach him and ask him for photos or autographs, while others simply conversed with him about anything from quidditch to the books he had read. She delighted in finding out he enjoyed reading, though he admitted he did not read as much as she did, but said that he read whenever he found the time.

Hermione especially loved watching him with kids. She had proven he told her the truth when he said he liked kids—not that she doubted him. But it was such a delight to see him interact with children, especially with Ethan. It seemed the two of them had struck a friendship and had bonded over sports and books. Whenever both were in the shop, they would be sitting down somewhere and would talk for hours while waiting for her work to end. Hermione had asked Harry once what it was they talked about and he had responded with "It's boys stuff. Mums aren't allowed to know," then winked at her. She scoffed at that because, really, she was her son's best friend and it seemed he had found a new best friend! But she was happy that Ethan gained a friend in Harry, even if it did worry her a bit about the future.

Stephen laughed at her reaction to his news. He loved teasing his boss about the hunky quidditch player. He had come to work for Hermione a few months after _The Bookend_ had first opened and he considered her one of his closest friends. She was a fair and kind employer. She did not demand from them what she would not do herself, sometimes even doing more work than her staff did. Stephen and Alice sometimes volunteered to babysit Ethan when she had to work for _The Magic Touch_ and they were glad to do it for Hermione. He and Alice were happy when they found out that Hermione was finally dating again. They believed she needed to do things for herself, as well, and were glad to see she'd begun to do just that. They could see that Harry was a good influence for her in getting her to loosen up and take more time for herself.

"So, do I tell him to come here or are you going to meet him outside?" He asked.

Hermione sat back up and took a deep breath. "Please tell him to come here."

"Alright. I'll be right back."

She nodded in response and began to gather the papers on her desk. She hated doing the finances but she hadn't hired a third-party accounting agency to do _The Bookend_'s books for her. Maybe she could go to Gringotts one of these days to get someone to do it for her. Looking at all the numbers for the past few hours had given her a headache. Right now, she desperately needed a long bath, warm food, and a massage.

A short knock on the door caught her attention, causing her to look over. She almost swallowed her tongue at the image that greeted her. Harry was leaning on the doorframe with takeaway tea in his hands. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt underneath a black leather jacket, dark jeans that hugged his muscular legs, and black hi-cut Doc Martens. His eternally messy hair had that just-got-out-of-bed look, and his stubble beard looked like it grew just a bit since the last time she saw him. She had confessed a few days ago about having a weakness for men with scruffy looks. If she wasn't already sitting down, she'd probably have swooned with the realization that he was keeping his stubble after her confession. The bad-boy biker look he was sporting was enough for an intense desire to course through her body that ended up in her centre.

"Hello, Hermione." He remained where he was, a smile on his face as he stood there looking at her.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Hermione stood up and walked around her desk. Thank Merlin women didn't get boners or Harry would plainly see how much she wanted him at that moment.

He met her halfway through the room and leaned down to give her a smouldering kiss. Well, at least she wasn't alone in her desire.

"Merlin, I just want to rip that dress off you and take you on your desk," he whispered as he kissed the skin under her ear, his hunger for her evident in his husky voice. She was wearing a red, muggle wrap dress which hugged her curves, and the v of the neckline was a little lower than what she normally wore which exposed a bit of cleavage. The sleeves went a third of the way down her arm and the hem of the dress ended a few inches above her knees.

She moved back a few inches so she could look in his eyes, letting him see the passion in her eyes.

"Well, what's stopping you?"

She heard the door to her office shut and lock. Harry summoned his wand and cast several wards on the door as well as silencing charms. His lascivious grin was the last thing she saw before he swooped down and picked her up, walking them back towards her desk. He placed her on top of the wooden desk and proceeded to push up the skirt of her dress. Letting it bunch up by her hips. Her legs wrapped around his hips loosened so she could unbuckle his belt and open his jeans. One hand opened the button and zipper while her other hand slipped inside his boxer briefs and grabbed his erection. He growled against her mouth then tore her knickers.

"Hey! Those are expensive!"

Harry simply chuckled. "I'll buy you more of them." He latched onto her neck, licked and sucked the skin there. Hermione pushed both his underwear and jeans down, finally releasing his member. He took hold of her wrist when she moved to seize his cock again.

"I need to be inside you now." His voice filled with need.

"Yes," was all she could say before he took hold of her arse and entered her in one thrust. Hermione couldn't help but cry out at his abrupt entrance. The mixture of pain and pleasure pushed her closer to her orgasm. She placed her hands on the desk behind her for leverage as Harry fucked her fast and hard. Harry's grunts, her moans, the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room. She was so close to her peak when Harry let go of her arse and picked up her legs, placing them on his shoulders.

The change in position let him hit that perfect spot and she exploded quickly, her arms giving out and she fell on top of the desk. He continued to move inside her as he chased his own release. When he finally did come, Hermione came with him. He let her legs slide down as he bent forward and rested his sweaty forehead against her own sweaty one. She let him sag against her, bearing his weight even if he was a bit heavy and the desk was hard on her back.

"Gods, Hermione. That was incredible," he said even as he was still recovering his breath.

Hermione giggled. "I've never done it in my office before," she responded as her fingers combed through his hair repeatedly. "I have to admit, you just fulfilled one of my fantasies."

Harry raised his head to look at her, smug smile firmly in place. "Glad to be of service. I couldn't help myself when I saw you at your desk, with your glasses and this dress," he lifted a hand to touch the fabric across her breasts. "It gave me one of those teacher fantasies. So it wasn't just your fantasy that was fulfilled today."

She laughed at that, reflecting on how Harry was making her do things she normally would not have done. It was reckless but it also made her feel young and free. It was a new feeling and she savoured the new experience.

"You didn't answer my question, though. What are you doing here?"

"I was out with my godson and thought to drop by for a visit."

"What? And where is he? You left him alone?" She rose quickly, pushing Harry away and dislodging his softened cock from inside her. She stood up, grabbed her wand and cast cleaning charms on herself and him.

"Of course, I didn't leave him alone. I left him with Ethan and Alice by the reading area," he countered, rolling his eyes as he dragged his boxers and jeans up from his knees and put them back on.

She tried to put their clothing to rights as if they hadn't just shagged, glanced down and saw her ruined knickers. Harry saw her look down and he saw what caught her attention. He waved his wand and repaired the torn fabric before giving it to her. She sighed.

"These things aren't the same anymore after a _reparo_."

"Well, just bear with it for a few hours. Unless you want to go about work knickerless. I'm not going to complain," he said to her.

She laughed then slapped him on his chest. "Perv."

He shrugged. "Can't help it if you're too enticing."

After checking themselves again, Hermione took the cardboard cup of tea Harry put down on the shelf by the door when he entered and dismantled the wards he had placed on the door.

"Let's check on the boys, then," Hermione said and exited the office.

* * *

The boys were, thankfully, too preoccupied playing that they didn't notice it took almost 20 minutes for Harry and Hermione to emerge from her office and find them. Alice noticed though, so she gave them a sly smile before leaving them to tend to the other customers in the shop. Hermione could not help the blush on her cheeks when she saw the look Alice gave them.

"Hey, Teddy. Are you having fun with Ethan?" Harry said as they approached the two boys. Both children looked up from what they were doing and Ethan stood up to run up to his mother.

"Mum! Teddy is awesome! He can change the way he looks! Can I learn that at Hogwarts, too?" He said excitedly.

Hermione smiled at her son fondly. "He's a metamorphmagus, sweetheart. He was born with that talent. But there are spells and potions that could help you change your appearance temporarily."

"I got it from my mum, Uncle Harry told me," the little boy with bubble gum pink hair spoke shyly at her. He was slightly hiding behind Harry.

She crouched down and smiled at the boy. "Hello, there. I'm Hermione, Ethan's mum."

Teddy looked up at his godfather as if waiting for permission. Harry nodded and gave him a little push forward. The little boy walked towards her then reached out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Edward Theodore Lupin. But everyone calls me Teddy. You can call me Teddy, too, if you want." Harry chuckled at his words.

Endeared by the adorable display, Hermione shook the boy's hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Nice to meet you, Teddy."His hair turned bright red as he smiled bashfully at her.

Ethan turned to her and asked, " Is it okay if we play some more, Mum? We promise to stay right here."

Hermione looked at both boys who were looking at her in anticipation. "Of course, love. Just stay here so we know where you are when it's time to leave. Alright?"

The two boys nodded then dashed back to the reading area where they sat on the floor and played Ethan's numerous board games.

"See? I'm a responsible adult," Harry teased her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Hermione laughed at what he said. It's amazing how much he made her laugh.

"Do you and Ethan maybe want to have dinner with Teddy and I?" He looked down at her with something akin to hope in his eyes. It seemed terribly like a family outing, which she didn't know how she felt about it yet. They had gone to the cinema with Harry a few days ago but this was different. Her son and his godson had already been introduced and she felt like they were slowly integrating their circles together. She had a lot to think about regarding her relationship with Harry but now was not the time.

"Sure, we'd love to join you for dinner," she replied.

"Great! How about I help around here, in the meantime?"

Hermione turned back around and walked down one of the aisles, swaying her hips. "I am not paying you."

Harry just laughed.

* * *

They entered a little quaint restaurant just a few doors down from _The Bookend_. Hermione had no idea it was even there but instantly fell in love with the restaurant's ambience and design. The place was warm and cosy, with the staff and owner quite welcoming. Harry knew the owner, as well, a certain Seamus Finnigan and his partner Dean Thomas. They were Harry's dormmates and close friends. Teddy greeted both enthusiastically with a kiss on their cheeks and a hug. She stood a short distance away with her son as they watched the exchange.

Harry gestured for her to move closer to them. "Gentlemen, this is Hermione Granger and her son, Ethan."

"Hello," Hermione and her son both said.

Seamus approached her first, gave her a kiss on the cheek then held her at arm's length by her shoulders. "So you are the notable Ms. Granger who made our Harry jump through hoops just to get her to date him!"

Hermione blushed then turned to Harry, "Hey! It wasn't that bad!" The men laughed.

"Of course not. Seamus here is just taking the mickey because—"

"It's not everyday a woman turned down Harry Potter. It's refreshing, really. And funny," Dean, a handsome bloke with dark skin, said. He also approached Hermione and gave her a brief hug. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Hermione. Well, then. We reserved a table at the back for you. C'mon." He took one boy in each hand and led the way to their table. Harry walked beside Hermione, his hand warm on her lower back. She could feel eyes following their small group as they walked by the tables.

"Are you alright?" Harry whispered in her ear. A shiver ran down her body caused by his warm breath.

"I'm fine," she whispered back, "People are staring at us."

"Let them stare. It just so happens I'm walking with the most beautiful woman in the room."

Hermione scoffed. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned at her. "It's not flattery when it's the truth."

She blushed but did not answer. She was still not used to getting compliments about her looks, which Harry often gave her.

Dinner was a lively affair and the tasty food only added to the festive mood. Lots of stories were told, especially about Harry and his friends' days at Hogwarts. They finished quite late and the two boys were almost asleep by the time they decided to call it a night. Stepping out of the restaurant, Hermione took pity on her son and hauled him into her arms.

"I could carry him and bring the both of you home," Harry offered.

"You already have a child you need to take back home. We'll be fine, really," she responded.

"He already too big for you to carry," he tried to argue.

"I may be small but I am strong," she quipped.

Harry sighed. "Very well," he relented then bent down to give her a lingering kiss. "Both of you take care, alright? Send me a message when you get home then I'll call you."

Hermione nodded, "I'll talk to you later. Take care, Harry." Then she vanished with a small pop. Harry stared at the spot where Hermione previously was before apparating himself and the sleeping Teddy.

If the couple had only been more aware of their surroundings, they would have noticed the clicks of a camera that bore witness to their more than friendly goodbyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Just a quick one. Apologies for the delay of an update! Real life sort of throws you in a loop sometimes and everything just went crazy. But here I am, a day early to post the new chapter. Whew! Thanks again to Tyrannicpuppy and Untold Harmony for going over this. Enjoy!**

* * *

Hermione was running late that morning to work. The dinner last night with Harry, the two kids, and Harry's friends had ended later than they had planned so she had to sleep later than usual. She had dropped off a sleepy Ethan at football summer camp then rushed to _The Bookend_. She just crossed the threshold of the shop when she was accosted by Margarethe and dragged through to her office.

"Well, good morning to you, too," she greeted her best friend dryly. Margarethe ignored her, pushed Hermione down on one of the chairs in front of her desk then proceeded to lock and silence the door. The combination of spells reminded her of the last time that door was warded the same way. She flushed at the memory and hoped Margarethe didn't notice.

It seemed that she didn't because as her best friend rounded on her, that was when she noticed the concern on her friend's face and that she was holding something in her hand. Dread began to descend in her stomach. Margarethe sighed then handed her the newspaper. With hands that shook, she slowly took the newspaper from her friend's grip then proceeded to open it.

There, smack on the front page of the paper was a huge photo of her and Harry outside Seamus and Dean's restaurant the night before. They stood facing each other as they did when they said their goodbyes and shared a kiss. Just like other magical photos, the one on the newspaper would loop beginning from them speaking and ending with them separating after the kiss. Her face was slightly covered by her sleeping son's head that was leaning on her left shoulder as she carried him, so it wouldn't be clear to the readers what she looked like. Below the photo was the headline in gigantic letters:

_**The Man-Who-Conquered on a Date with Mystery Woman!**_

_**By Rita Skeeter**_

She went ahead and began reading the article that accompanied the photo and headline.

_It seems that Harry Potter, most well known as The Boy-Who-Lived before becoming The Man-Who-Conquered after his defeat of Dark Lord Voldemort in 1997, and now the Puddlemere United and English National Quidditch Team's Seeker and Captain, is off the market._

_An anonymous tip told us that Mr. Potter was dining at _Firepit_, the restaurant owned by Harry Potter's close friends from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—couple Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas—with the aforementioned couple, two children, and a woman._

_It was said that he was being more than friendly with a female companion all throughout their meal. The tip described the woman as petite with riotous brunette hair, her fashion style was understated but she carried herself elegantly. They also said that the two were constantly touching each other, and would share significant glances with each other for the duration of the affair._

_The pair came out of the restaurant hours later, each carrying a child in their arms (as seen in the photo above this article). Mr. Potter carried his young godson, who had seemed to be asleep, while the mystery woman carried the other sleeping child (the nature of the child and woman's relationship is still currently unknown), whom she left with after she shared a rather intimate kiss with Mr. Potter. The couple went their separate ways, but Mr. Potter waited until the woman left before apparating away himself._

_Mr. Potter's last noted relationship was with Ms. Cho Chang, Seeker of the Wimbourne Wasps. They ended their on-again-off-again relationship for good the previous year when Ms. Chang was caught naked in the hotel room of one of her male teammates by Mr. Potter himself during one of their team tours._

_So, who is this mysterious woman that our Mr. Potter is obviously quite smitten with? Where did she come from? How did the two meet? Who was the child she was with? Is she the one who will finally end Mr. Potter's reign as the Most Eligible Bachelor in the Wizarding World?_

_Stay tuned as we investigate this budding romance between The Man-Who-Conquered and his new belle._

Hermione threw the newspaper on her desk after she was done reading it. She released a deep sigh and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. She didn't see the other woman take the other chair.

"_Chérie_?_"_ Margarethe spoke quietly as she waited anxiously for her friend's reaction to that day's headline.

Hermione opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I knew it was going to come out sooner or later. I have been thinking about it since the day I agreed to date Harry Potter." She paused, sighed again, and said, "I guess knowing and actually experiencing it are two truly different things. _J'aurais probablement dû être prêt pour ça._" (I probably should have been ready for this.)

"What are you going to do now?" The other woman asked. "Are you going to stop seeing Harry?"

Hermione looked at her friend and her eyes spoke of everything she felt. "_Je ne peux même pas, si je voulais. _(I can't, even if I wanted to.) I—What I feel for Harry, it's… When I think of not being able to see him anymore, there's this… painful feeling in the pit of my stomach and my chest hurts." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing her tears not to fall. "I know I've only just met him but I've never felt so… strongly for someone."

"I know, _chérie,"_ her friend said. She knew her friend had never been truly in love in the past. And it seemed like she's already on her way to falling hard for the renowned seeker and saviour of the Wizarding World.

"But I also have to protect Ethan. He's my priority."

Margarethe nodded. "Of course. Maybe you should speak to—"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off when Hermione's mobile phone began ringing. She bent down to grab the phone from her bag, which she dropped on the floor when she sat down earlier. Looking at the screen, her heart rate accelerated upon seeing Harry's name. The feeling of dread came back in full force and it took her three times to press the answer button on the screen of her phone.

"Harry?" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"Hermione, I just saw _The Daily Prophet_!" His voice was urgent and worried. "I'm so sorry. I know how much you hate the press-"

"Harry," she interrupted him, "It's-it's alright. We knew they were going to find out about us sooner or later, didn't we? And you hate them just as much."

"Well, yes. But I would have preferred that _we_ decided when they would find out about us." She nodded, even though Harry couldn't see her.

"I'm more worried about Ethan, to tell you the truth," she told him.

"I know. The press usually has this unspoken rule about keeping children out of their pages," he replied.

"But both Teddy and Ethan were in the article even if their faces weren't visible."

She heard Harry sigh on the phone, "Merlin. I'm going to have Rita's head for this. That woman has been a pain in my arse since I was a teenager."

They were quiet for a few moments, each lost in their thoughts, before Harry spoke again.

"Hermione?" His voice brought her out of her revery.

"Hmm?"

"I'll do everything to protect you and Ethan, I hope you believe that." She could detect a speck of worry in his voice even as he tried to sound confident.

"Of course, Harry," was all she could say.

"I have to make a few calls to do some damage control. Fucking Rita. Anyway, I'll call you later?"

"Sure. Bye, Harry."

"Bye, Hermione." Then the call ended. She stared at the phone as if it would give her the answers she needed.

"What did Harry say?" Margarethe asked.

Hermione lost count of how many times she had sighed in the last few minutes since seeing the newspaper in her friend's hand. "He said he was going to make some calls and do some damage control. I'm not exactly sure what he meant by that."

Margarethe scoffed. "He's influential, alright, but not _that_ influential. He can tell them to leave you alone until he's blue in the face but the press will print whatever they want regardless of what he would say about the matter."

The brunette woman nodded her agreement. "Right now, the most important thing is keeping the press away from Ethan. But I have no idea how to do that."

The blonde woman moved from her seat and kneeled beside Hermione, taking Hermione's trembling hands in hers. "It's gonna be okay. You have me, you have Alice and Stephen, you have Harry. There's a bunch of people around you willing to help you now. You're not alone in this. You never will be."

Hermione nodded and took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She realized now that people would know about her, she had to show everyone that she had every right to date Harry Potter. She wasn't some push-over and she wasn't about to start now. She wanted to keep seeing Harry and if that meant she had to deal with the press, then that was what she would do while protecting Ethan from them. Her son did not deserve the scrutiny she was about to face, especially from Harry's adoring fans.

Margarethe knew what that look on Hermione's face meant and she inwardly cheered. Her friend was strong-willed and stubborn, yet for a few moments, she feared that Hermione was going to give up the chance for happiness so she could go back to being on the safe side.

"Well, sulking and hiding in here isn't going to help me. Better to just go about my day, like usual," Hermione said as she stood. Margarethe stood with her and gave her a tight hug.

"Everything's going to be alright, _chérie_. I'll be next door if you need me for anything."

"I know, Marga," Hermione moved away a bit from the hug and gave her best friend a smile. "Thank you for everything."

"Pish posh!" Margarethe let go of her, waving her hand. "We may not be blood, but we are _soeurs du coeur_ (sisters of the heart). We are family, you know that."

Hermione smiled. It was true. For years, she and Margarethe only had each other as family. They had gone through so much together that she felt like some ties between blood-relations pale in comparison to their relationship. She kissed Margarethe on both cheeks before walking her out of her office.

"I'll be leaving early later to pick up Ethan. Why don't you come to the flat later and have dinner with us?" The smaller woman asked.

"_Mais bien sûr_! I'll be there by half-past six, yes?"

"Sure."

Margarethe waved goodbye to her before walking to the connecting door between their shops. Taking another deep breath, she straightened her back, gathered every bit of courage she had, and went on to face the day ahead.

* * *

When Harry opened the newspaper that morning, he spewed the coffee he had just drank all over it. Smack in the middle of _The Daily Prophet_ was a photo of him and Hermione, each carrying a child, as they kissed outside _Firepit_ the night before. He inwardly cursed as he scanned the article-of course it was by Rita bloody Skeeter-trying to see if they were able to name Hermione. He felt a bit of comfort when he realized that they had not identified her yet, but then worry replaced his sense of relief. He knew Hermione didn't like the press or being in the limelight and this was exactly what she feared. He scrambled to grab his phone and dialed Hermione's number. He was hoping to catch her before she saw the paper, but looking at the current time, he knew she was already at the bookshop.

"Harry?" He could hear the apprehension in her voice and he hated its presence there. He hated it more that he was the cause of it.

"Hermione, I just saw _The Daily Prophet_! I'm so sorry. I know how much you hate the press-"

"Harry, it's-it's alright. We knew they were going to find out about us sooner or later, didn't we? And you hate them just as much," she said softly, and he could hear as she tried to control her shaking voice.

"Well, yes. But I would have preferred that _we_ decided when they would find out about us."

They spoke for a few minutes as he tried to think of something to do about the situation before it got out of hand. After their call, he went to his fireplace located in the front sitting room and took a pinch of Floo powder from the jar hanging by the mantle. He conjured a fire and threw the powder into it.

"The Hovel!" He called out his best friend's home. It took a few seconds before his friend's face was visible in the Floo.

"Oh, hey mate! Isn't this too early for Floo calls?" He joked.

Harry shook his head. "I have a bit of situation, Ron. Do you have _The Prophet_?"

He saw Ron look behind him and nodded. "Yeah, I have it but I haven't seen it yet."

"Go and check it then Floo over here immediately." Harry ended the call and began pacing back and forth in the sitting room. It didn't take more than five minutes before the Floo activated and his red-haired friend stepped out of the fireplace, a frown on his face.

"Bloody hell, Harry! Front page, again!" Ron exclaimed.

"That's not what I'm concerned about. I'm more worried about what would happen to Hermione and Ethan after this," Harry said as he sat down on the couch. Ron sat on the armchair on Harry's right and looked at his best friend.

"The press is going to go after them. You know they will," Ron spoke.

Harry nodded. "I know that. And I need to do something about it. I have to protect them, Ron. They don't deserve to be hounded by the press just because Hermione is dating me."

Ron was quiet for a minute or two, thinking of a plan that could help his friend. He hadn't met Hermione yet but looking at Harry, he could see how important this woman was to his friend already. Ron had heard about Hermione and her son so much from Harry and he couldn't help but notice his friend's happiness when speaking about them.

"How about releasing a statement about your relationship? Wouldn't it be better to pre-empt the press before they start digging about who this 'mystery woman' is?" Ron suggested.

"Do you think that will work?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe we can ask someone from the press. But who?"

They were silent for a few seconds before Harry stood up and hurriedly went to his fireplace, took a pinch of Floo powder, and made another call.

"The Lovegood House!"

It took a little longer before someone answered.

"Oh, hello Harry," Luna Lovegood's serene face appeared in the green fire. "Good morning to you too, Ronald," she said as she looked beyond Harry's shoulder to look at Ron.

"Hello, Luna," Ron returned the greeting. That's when Ron realized what Harry was on about.

"Luna, are you busy right now? I need to run something by you and it's urgent," Harry told the blonde.

"Of course. I'll be over in a second." Luna ended the Floo call abruptly. Harry barely moved away from the fireplace when it burst to life again and Luna came out. She wore a bright yellow sundress, her signature radish earrings, her wand behind her ear, and not a single blonde hair out of place. Without waiting for an invitation, she went straight to Harry's couch and sat. Looking at Ron sitting on her right then Harry standing on her left, she folded her hands on her lap and smiled.

"Is this about the article on the front page of _The Prophet_ this morning?" Trust Luna to get straight to the point. She was never one for mincing words. Some may see her as flighty and a bit loony but behind those innocent-looking eyes was a sharp mind. She definitely earned her place in Ravenclaw House.

Harry nodded. "We were wondering if it would be wise to release a statement regarding my relationship with Hermione."

"Hmm, I see. So you want to go ahead and confirm the relationship and her identity before the papers do," she said.

"Yes. This way, we could still have a bit of control. Burst their bubble on the mystery of the woman I'm dating at the same time, issue a bit of warning."

"Could be worth a try," Luna agreed. "And you plan to publish this in _The Quibbler_, yes?"

"Of course. It's the only publication I trust and I know you won't go after Hermione and her son," Harry confirmed. He trusted Luna as much as he trusted Ron. She was one of his closest friends, even almost like a sister to him.

Luna nodded and stood. "Go write your statement and owl it to me before lunch. I'll have it printed first thing in the morning." She walked past Ron but not before reaching out and touching his cheek, then Floo'd out of Harry's flat. Harry looked at Ron and raised his eyebrow, while Ron had a bewildered expression on his face.

"What was that about?" Harry asked.

"I have no idea," Ron replied, still confused.

It was a good thing they didn't have practice that day. He went to his home office as soon as Ron left. He had a statement to write.

* * *

She expected more fanfare, to be honest. But maybe because her face wasn't all that visible on the photo of the article, people would not know who Harry's date was or what she looked like. Only her more regular patrons knew she had some form of relationship with the famous seeker because they often saw him in the shop but so far, not one of them had gone to the press about it. Which was a relief, since it would have brought the wizarding community running to _The Bookend_ to catch a glimpse of her. Or maybe that was just her optimism speaking. She was gathering her things in her office, about to leave to pick up her son from football camp when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Hermione. Bad time?" Harry's voice went through the phone audio.

"Not really. Just getting ready to leave to pick up Ethan then do a bit of grocery shopping before heading home."

"Right. Well, I just wanted you to know I've spoken to my best mate, Ron, and a friend who's handling _The Quibbler_." Hermione's brows drew close together at the mention of the wizarding tabloid. While The Quibbler did write better articles and take the numerous plights of the wizarding world seriously, it also tended to publish stories about creatures with dubious existence and conspiracy theories. Hermione forced herself out of her thoughts to listen to Harry, "... since they haven't figured out who you are yet, we thought that maybe we'll just go first and publish a sort of statement in _The Quibbler_ by tomorrow."

"_The Quibbler_?" She asked, not quite sure if she was clarifying she heard it right or questioning Harry's decision.

"Yeah. Luna Lovegood, who's the daughter of the original owner, is a good friend of mine. I've already sent her my statement. She will edit it and make sure it gets printed for tomorrow's edition."

"Harry, are you sure about this?"

"Of course," he said with confidence. "_The Quibbler _has helped me since my school years setting rumors straight that the _Daily Prophet_ tends to publish. They're just about the only member of the press that I trust. Although with the statement, I'm sure we wouldn't be able to avoid the chaos that will ensue. People will still be clamoring to see you."

Hermione sighed. Whether or not they released a statement, once the wizarding world found out about their relationship, there would be pandemonium. Before she could say anything, Harry began speaking again, likely taking her silence in the wrong way.

"I'm so sorry. I know we've spoken about this before but..." he trailed off and sighed. "I know it's going to be a lot to take in. The attention, the scrutiny. It comes with being with me. I try to keep my personal life as private as possible but-it seems like I gave that up the moment I survived the Killing Curse when I was a baby."

"Harry," she tried to soothe him. "When I agreed to date you, I knew you were famous, probably the most famous wizard in the I guess… I failed to grasp what that truly entailed. But I have no regrets in being with you. None at all."

She heard a sigh from the other end of the line, as if Harry let out a breath he was holding after hearing her words.

"Thank Merlin. I don't want you to regret this-us." Relief was evident in his voice.

"I will tell you if I do start regretting it," she laughed.

"Please do," he replied, chuckling.

"Would you like to have dinner with us tonight at our place? Ethan has been asking about you already and Margarethe is coming over as well," she offered him. She knew they had just been together the night before but for some inexplicable reason, she needed to see him. She needed his comforting arms around her and reassurance that everything would be okay.

"Sure, I'd love to. Do you want me to bring anything?" He responded.

"Maybe some wine?"

"Done. See you later, baby."

"See you later, Harry."

* * *

Harry knocked on the door of Hermione's flat at exactly six that evening, a bottle of red wine in his hands. He was about to knock again when the door swung open and revealed the brunette nine-year-old resident of the flat.

"Hello Ethan," Harry greeted him.

"Heya Harry! Mum and Aunt Marga are inside getting dinner together. Come in!" The child quickly spoke then turned, leaving the door open for Harry. He entered the flat and was immediately hit by different aromas that made his stomach grumble with hunger.

"What are they making?" Harry asked the little boy as he was led to the kitchen.

"Some fragrant rice and stewed beef, I think. I helped clean the leaves for the salad earlier, too," Ethan answered. "Hey Mum! Harry's here."

Hermione chuckled as she raised her head from what she was chopping to look at them both. "I heard him them moment you opened the door, little man." Ethan huffed.

Harry went around the kitchen counter and stood beside Hermione at the center island table. He gave a kiss on the cheek and greeted Margarethe who was at the stove mixing the stew.

"Anything I can help with?" He asked.

"No, we 're almost done here anyway. Why don't you and Ethan go and sit by the fireplace and play or something?" Hermione answered without looking at him.

"You sure?" He confirmed with Margarethe who stood by Hermione's other side.

"_Bien sûr_! We got this, Harry. Go, go," Margarethe responded, waving her hand to make him leave.

Harry rolled his eyes at the women. "Whatever you say." He turned to the boy sitting by the counter. "Come on, little man. Apparently, we're not needed here."

Ethan laughed at the adults then followed Harry to sit on the couch. He already brought out the chess board, which was hidden at the bottom of the coffee table, before the child even sat. They started arranging the pieces in silence as they had done several times before. While Harry was a decent chess player, it seemed Ethan was more adept with the game. Ethan was leading with several wins on their scoreboard.

As Harry made the first move, he looked at the young boy. "Did you hear about what happened today?"

Ethan made his move before answering. "Yeah. Mum told me about the article and the photo in the paper, she even showed it to me."

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "The press can get pretty… eager when it comes to my personal life."

"It's alright. I'm sure anyone who was close to you got to experience that in some way."

"Not exactly. It only happens to the women I date," Harry responded, a sheepish look on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, so it happened because you're dating my mum."

"Pretty much, yeah. You know how famous I am in the Wizarding World, and not just because I'm a Quidditch player."

The young boy nodded. "Yes, because of the past war with Voldemort. I've read about that in Mum's shop."

Harry couldn't help the smile that answer caused him. "Yes, well, the public has taken a great deal of interest in my private life because of that."

"That's bull-"

Harry raised his eyebrows at Ethan, knowing what he was going to say.

"-crap," Ethan finished lamely. "They don't need to know everything about your life. You don't owe them diddly squat." He huffed.

"I know that. And I'm sorry you and your mum are likely to endure it soon," Harry said as he ruffled the boy's curly hair.

"Pfft. Mum's tough as a nut. She's not easily scared. As long as you promise not to hurt her and never make her cry, we're good," Ethan looked straight at him. His eyes the same shade as his mother's, and just as piercing.

Harry knew while it was said in a casual way, the threat and weight of the statement was there. The boy was looking out for his mother, even while being quite so young. He was the man of the house and he took it as his duty to protect his mother. He admired the mother and son relationship and he was surprised when the desire to be included in that relationship blossomed in his chest. He also wanted to protect this little family with everything he had. But first, he had a promise to make.

"I can't promise you I'll never make your mum cry, because I most probably will by being stupid. However, I can promise you that I will _try_. I don't _ever_ want to hurt your mum. " Harry returned the look, something passing between the two males, like a silent agreement. Ethan simply smiled then resumed playing.

It felt like a weight had been lifted off of Harry's chest after his promise to Ethan. He knew he was stupid enough to do something to mess things up but he was serious about his promise to Hermione's son. He hoped that the only tears she would ever cry would be tears of joy and happiness, and that he was the one that caused them.

"Dinner's ready, you two," Hermione called out from the dining table.

"Yes!" Ethan cheered then jumped up from the couch. Harry chuckled as he watched the boy as he hurriedly made his way to the table.

"That one's hungry," he commented as Hermione approached him. He took her hand as she stood behind the furniture he sat on. Hermione bent forward and gave him a peck on the lips.

"How are you doing?" Harry asked as Hermione stood back up.

"Better. I had time to calm down and think things through," she answered. He could see the stress on her face but she was doing her best to show she was unaffected by the article.

"I'm right here, Hermione," he said as he squeezed her hand. "You can lean on me," he uttered softly.

"I know," she responded just as softly.

"I have the statement to be released tomorrow. You can read it and if it's okay with you, I can tell Luna that she can go ahead," he said.

"Mum! A tiny person is hungry over here!" Ethan called out from his place at the dining table before Hermione could even answer.

"You heard the little man," Marga teased the couple as she took her seat, as well.

Harry and Hermione shared a look and a smile then she pulled on his hand, making him stand and they walked to the table together, hand in hand.

* * *

**Next Day**

_The Quibbler_

_Harry Potter's Official Statement_

_In response to the article published yesterday in another publication, I am releasing this statement, the _only one_ I will be releasing, about this matter._

_It is true that I am currently in a relationship with the woman in the photo that accompanied the article. Her name is Hermione and the boy she was seen carrying in the photo is her nine-year old son. Born in England but grew up in France, she and her son moved back home to England two years ago._

_She is an accomplished woman, highly intelligent, and a powerful witch. She is the proud owner of a bookshop and co-owner of an event organizing company._

_I will request the Wizarding Community to refrain from ambushing and scrutinizing her and her son. They do not deserve such attention. I have long accepted that my personal life can not be kept private at all times but I would like everyone to respect Hermione's, and especially, her young son's privacy. I will not tolerate anyone disregarding their right to their privacy._

_That being said, thank you all for taking the time to read this._

_A good day to all._

_Harry James Potter_

_Order of Merlin, First Class _

_Puddlemere United & England National Quidditch Team Captain and Seeker_

Margarethe laughed after reading the statement Harry had released that morning regarding his relationship with her best friend.

"_Bien_, he definitely knows how to threaten everyone without actually saying it. The Order of Merlin at the end is a nice touch, too," she said, still laughing.

Alice and Stephen both laughed when Hermione blushed. She already knew the content of the statement, as he had brought a draft for it last night to dinner at her home. She surmised that Harry must have added the last line at the last minute before it was printed this morning.

"Well," she began, even though her cheeks were still red. "I hope they understood. But I'm sure not everyone will listen to it."

"I would love to see someone test it, though. Harry's quite a powerful wizard. Only the truly stupid would try to duel him," Alice said in excitement.

"I really hope it _doesn't_ come to that. He could get arrested for public disturbance," Hermione grimaced

"Nah. He can challenge anyone to a duel to defend your honour then the _challenger_ will get arrested," Alice replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes at that. It was so old-fashioned and she'd rather not have people duelling for her "honour." She didn't want to draw any more attention to herself, especially since she had a feeling that the statement had probably already been read by all of the British Wizarding Community. She resolved to just go about her day, as usual, just do her work and try her best not to be bothered by the intrusive and nosy public.

* * *

It was crazy.

She thought that it wasn't all that bad considering the past few days and that morning were relatively quiet and calm.

The pandemonium came right at lunchtime.

She was on her way back to the shop after buying lunch for her and her staff—though they had volunteered to go out instead but she refused—when the first flash of a camera nearly blinded her and caused her to jump in surprise. The press descended on her like a pack of wolves and had thrown question after question at her that they were almost unintelligible.

"Ms. Granger, how did you meet Mr. Potter?"

"How long has your relationship with Mr. Potter been going on?"

"Do you see yourself and Mr. Potter getting married?"

"Does Ms. Cho Chang know about you and Mr. Potter?"

"How does Mr. Potter feel about you having a son?"

"Is this a real relationship or is it just a summer fling?"

"Are you only after his fame and fortune?"

The last question actually made her pause in her stride towards her shop. She didn't know who asked the question but she faced the reporters surrounding her with as much confidence as she could pretend to muster. She squared her shoulders and she looked straight at their faces before speaking.

"Mr. Potter and I met a few months ago and did not begin dating until a few weeks later. I am neither after his fame nor his fortune as I only want to live a normal life with my son. That is all. Thank you."

Hermione resumed her walk but instead of being satisfied with her answer (they rarely ever were), they simply followed her again while bombarding her with more questions. She refused to speak and answer anymore questions as she hastened her pace so she could reach the shop faster.

She was grateful when she saw Alice by the door of the shop, waiting for her. Quickly crossing the threshold, Alice immediately closed the door and activated the protection wards so the numerous journalists and photographers were stuck outside. She flipped the _Open_ sign to _Closed_ then turned her back to the people trying to see inside.

"Goodness, that was scary!" She exclaimed as she entered Hermione's office. She saw Hermione sitting behind her desk, her face in her hands. She didn't respond verbally but she nodded her head.

"And Harry had to endure this everyday since he was a child!" Another nod.

"Thank Merlin, I get to leave early today," Hermione said as she dropped her hands on her lap and looked at both of her staff. "Why don't the two of you take the rest of the day off, too? Let's all get out of here and wait for this craze to die down a bit."

"You know they'll be back tomorrow, right?" Stephen asked her.

She sighed. "I know, but maybe I'll be better equipped to deal with the lot of them."

Alice and Stephen nodded. While they rarely closed the shop that early, they understood the need for Hermione to absorb and think about what had just happened. She gave each of them the sandwich and tea that she bought before she was accosted by the press.

"Go and eat. I have to talk to Margarethe about the press possibly hounding her once they figure out her ties to me. Though I think she can handle them better than I can."

"Don't worry so much, Hermione. This will blow over. The press and the people will get tired of this soon," Alice said, trying to comfort her boss.

"Soon can't come fast enough," Hermione sighed again. She left both of her staff as they ate to go and talk to Margarethe. As she was about to cross the connecting door between their shops, she heard the commotion before she even saw Margarethe speaking to the members of the press.

"I will not divulge any _private_ information regarding Hermione and Harry's relationship. They are my friends and I _respect_ their right to their privacy. Something of which _all of you_ need to learn."

Margarethe briefly glanced her way and Hermione gave her nod before going back to her office and got ready to leave.

"They're already speaking to Margarethe," she told Alice and Stephen. "She can handle herself with them from what I saw. Best to get out of here before they can catch me again."

Alice and Stephen nodded and said their goodbyes as Hermione apparated on the spot to an empty alleyway near Ethan's primary school where the football camp was being held. She walked towards the field behind the main building of the school. There were other parents there watching their children as well. She sat beside one of the parents she had grown friendly with since Ethan started going to school there and began chatting with her about their children and their activities. It took another hour before the children were dismissed. Ethan waved at her before heading towards the locker rooms to take a shower and change.

"Hey, Mum?" Ethan's voice called out to her. She turned to her son from her conversation with the other parents.

"Yes, love. What is it?" She answered as she approached. There was a peculiar expression on his face that she did not recognize. He took her hand and moved her away from the other parents.

"There was a man with a camera when I got out of the locker rooms. He was taking photos of me. I got a bit scared so I ran."

Hermione's heartbeat raced with worry. She took her son in her arms and told him that it was nothing and that she would keep him safe. When she felt like she had reassured her son, they walked out of the school hand in hand. Before they reached the sidewalk, Hermione heard the click of a camera. She pushed Ethan behind her and summoned her wand but carefully hid it from the view of muggles leaving the school. She saw the reflection of the lens in one of the bushes near the school's walkway.

Discreetly moving her wand, she caused the inside of the camera to explode. She saw a spark before smoke began to rise from the bushes, followed by a man, red-faced in fury. Hermione slightly waved her wand again to silence the man when he opened his mouth to speak. Hermione approached him, carefully keeping Ethan behind her. She did not have time to worry about the image she must be presenting the other parents and children behind her.

"You!" She began, vehemently. "Did you not read what Harry said earlier today in the paper? I don't care if you publish photos of me on your piece of trash of a paper but _never _go near my son ever again. Do you understand?"

She summoned his identification card and pocketed it before rushing towards the empty alley she had apparated into. She and Ethan usually drove home when she brought her car or they would take the bus home. Hermione was so rattled by her experiences that day that she was anxious to get home and get behind the safety of the walls of her flat.

As soon as they reached their flat, Hermione told Ethan to get cleaned up as she prepared their supper. Once her son was upstairs, she took her phone out of her bag and dialled Harry's number.

"Her—"

"Oh my god, Harry! There was a photographer at Ethan's school earlier today!" Hermione barely kept her voice from sounding hysterical. She was shaking so much.

"What?! Is Ethan okay?"

"Yes, yes. He's fine. A little rattled but he'll be okay," she responded. "I dealt with the photographer. I melted the inside of his camera and got his identification card."

"Okay, good. I'll send Hedwig to you right now so she can pick up the ID. He won't get away with this. I already warned people not to invade your privacy," he growled. She felt herself calm at his anger on her behalf. His voice was calm when he spoke next. "How about you? Are you okay?"

"I—" She thought about whether or not to tell him about what happened at Pentagon Alley earlier today, but knew he would be incensed if she kept it to herself. "There were a bunch of people from the press that ambushed me while walking back to the shop from buying lunch."

"What? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle. But we had to close the shop early because the press basically camped outside of the building. It was ridiculous. And they even ambushed Marga in her office, but she handled it pretty well," she replied, half-shrugging even if he couldn't see her.

"They'll likely be back tomorrow at the shop when you open again."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Harry, I'm worried about what they could do to Ethan. I don't want my son to be stalked and hounded by the press."

"I know, Hermione. And I'm sorry. I'll fix this, I promise," Harry tried to reassure her.

"I don't know if you can actually do anything to stop this. These people… they don't care if they intrude or ruin other people's lives as long as they get a story that sells." Remembering her past, she knew it was something people would consider a "scandal" and the press would gladly latch onto it and share it to the world. True, she was worried about Ethan but she was also worried about how her past could ruin everything she had built for herself. She never really cared about what other people thought of her and while her past was her business, she knew once it was out there, the public would never forget it. And she was sure they would never accept someone like her for their hero and quidditch star.

"Baby, I swear. I'll do something about this. I wish this didn't have to happen to you and Ethan. I'm sorry." She heard the sincerity in his voice.

Hermione knew she shouldn't take out her frustrations on him, seeing as he hated the situation as much as she did. She took a deep breath and tried to shake away her negative feelings.

"It comes with the package of Harry James Potter. Can't have one without the other, right?" She teased him.

"I would have gladly foregone the media circus. But, yeah. Anyway, I'll make a few calls again and deal with this arsehole. I'll call you again later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Harry."

She put her phone down and began preparing for their supper. She would have to trust Harry to do what he said he would. It was… difficult. For years, she only had herself—and on occasion, Margarethe—to rely on. Besides, this was beyond her control. She was a nobody. She wasn't a celebrity. She hoped her non-celebrity status would help lessen the public's interest in her. But she knew it was too much to wish for. She only hoped that she would be strong enough to face whatever would come their way.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Back to our regular programming, then? LOL. Again, thanks to TyrannicPuppy and Untold Harmony! :)**

* * *

The following days were crazy with the press and hectic due to the upcoming start of the new school year, but Hermione didn't mind it at all. The press had camped outside of her shop the day after they ambushed her on the street. She simply waved and smiled at them every time before entering the shop. She was glad, though, that they didn't barge in nor did they disrupt her business and bothered her shop's patrons during the day. After a few days, less and less of the press showed up at her shop.

_They'll soon realize how boring I am_, she thought and silently chuckled. A few customers did approach and ask her if she was dating Harry Potter. Since there was no point in denying it (and because of Harry's statement on _The Quibbler_), she simply confirmed it and they all had gone on their way. There were the _very_ few Harry Potter fanatics who voiced their objections and did not "approve" of her as she was a nobody and did not match their famous hero. It was hilarious watching Alice throw them out of the shop. Of course, she didn't pay them any mind. They had no say about who Harry should or should not be dating. He told her to simply ignore them as they were under the delusion that he would end up with _them_, to which he responded, "I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot branch of the Whomping Willow."

Hermione was shocked to find out what Harry did to "deal" with the photographer that took photos of Ethan at school.. The wizard photographer was under the employ of _The Daily Prophet_, the publication that had first come out with the article about her relationship with Harry. The day after the incident at Ethan's school, Harry had gone to the Ministry to acquire a temporary restraining order and had his solicitor write up a contract-in other words, an _ultimatum_-forcing them that should they ever want to publish articles and photos of him again, they would have to leave Hermione and Ethan alone. He would also buy the paper and liquidate it. Just one signature and no more _The Daily Prophet_. The executives had no choice but to agree to his terms if they wanted to write about the Man-Who-Conquered, which was a sure money maker.

They had decided to finally go out on a date on the wizarding side of London as they had been only going out on the muggle part since his statement was published. They felt it would help the public acclimatize to the idea of them as a couple. Harry told her to dress up just like when they went to Paris and that he would pick her up at six in the evening. She put on a silver column high neck, sleeveless, cocktail dress that ended just an inch or two above her knees. The bodice was made of lace with a wide fabric that wrapped around her waist, while the skirt was charmeuse silk that flowed down her hips and legs. She paired it with her black pumps and a silver shoulder bag. As this was their first outing since going public with their relationship, she wanted to be presentable enough to stand beside Harry without losing who she truly was, so she decided to keep her wild curls free around her shoulders and applied subtle makeup on her face.

There was a knock on her door and Ethan peered into the room. "Hey, little man," Hermione greeted with a smile.

The boy grinned at his mother in return. "You look great, Mum! Anyway, Harry's here. I told him to wait downstairs."

Hermione laughed. "Well, where is he supposed to wait then if not downstairs?"

Ethan shrugged, turned around, and went back down. Hermione shook her head at her son's antics. She took her shoulder bag from the dresser table and followed her son. She could hear the voices of Harry, Ethan and Margarethe as they talked about Harry's upcoming Quidditch season. She loved hearing the most important people in her life get along with Harry. She had a suspicion that Harry was on his way to being one of those important people, too. Hermione decided to shelve that thought at the moment because she didn't want to think about it too much yet.

"Our first game of the season will be against the Wimbourne Wasps next week. My best mate's sister plays Chaser for them so there's going to be more competitiveness during the game," Harry told Ethan and Margarethe. "Maybe you could come and watch us play."

Ethan was about to answer when he saw her standing by the stairs. "Mum! Harry was asking if we could watch their first game! Can we? Can we, please?"

Hermione simply raised her eyebrow and Ethan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. She tried her best to fight the smile that threatened to grow on her lips. The truth was, she and Harry had already agreed that she, Ethan, and Margarethe would be watching the Quidditch game. It was going to be a surprise to the young boy and she couldn't wait to see his excitement. She looked at Harry and he winked at her, probably also thinking about their surprise. Incidentally, it was Harry's birthday so they planned a little celebration after the game. She took a few steps towards the sitting area and sat on the arm of the chair Harry was sitting on.

"Well, let me think about it first. I'm going to have to check my schedule at work, okay?" she said.

The nine-year-old nodded, torn between hope and disappointment. Hermione and Harry shared a look and a quick smile before the latter stood up. He took her hand and pulled her to stand, as well. He went to the coat hanger by the front door and helped her put on her coat.

"We'll be back a bit late so don't wait up for me, alright?" Hermione told Ethan then turned to Margarethe. "Please don't let him stay up way past his bedtime. You know he will be a nightmare in the morning." Harry and Margarethe laughed as Ethan shouted "Mum!" in embarrassment.

After a few more reminders to the two, Harry and Hermione left and apparated near the restaurant they would be dining at that night. _The Golden Spoon_ was one of the fanciest restaurants in the British Wizarding World. It was owned by a half-blood who travelled the world and had learned to cook under muggle chefs. As much as magic made cooking easier, she said that cooking the muggle way transformed the dish to a whole new level. Hermione heard that reservation to _The Golden Spoon_ required months in advance as there were limited tables within the restaurant itself. She wondered how Harry was able to get a reservation on such short notice but quickly answered her own question with a reminder of who Harry was in their world. She knew Harry didn't like throwing his name around but he once admitted guiltily that he sometimes used his name to get last-minute reservations or some other perks.

They were led to a table almost in the middle of the restaurant. Hermione sat with her back towards the door and Harry sat across her. It had always been like that whenever they go out to eat, even in the muggle world. "I prefer to see who comes in and out. Can't be too careful and it'll be easier to defend us if something happens," he explained when she noticed and mentioned to him about this particular habit. She assumed, after all those years of training and fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters, his slight paranoia and keeping his guard up all the time was a habit that was difficult to break.

They ordered their meals and a bottle of wine and were just updating each other about their day when a waiter approached their table. "Apologies for the interruption, Mr. Potter. Minister Shacklebolt has requested a moment to speak with you."

Harry looked at her then turned back to the waiter with a frown on his face. "But-" he began.

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione cut him off and took his hand in hers to soothe him. "Really. I'm sure it won't take long. Go and see what the minister wanted."

He looked at her, uncertainty clear on his handsome face. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'll be right here, waiting for you."

Harry sighed, kissed the hand holding his, and stood up. "This had better be good," he murmured before following the waiter towards the minister's table.

Another waiter approached their table and refilled her wine. She thanked the man then brought out her phone to check on Ethan and Margarethe. She paused when someone had approached their table again. She thought it was another waiter so she fixed a smile on her face as she looked up. She couldn't help her surprise when she realized it was a woman and clearly was not part of the restaurant's staff. The woman was petite, with long black straight hair. Her Asian heritage was evident in her dark almond eyes, pale skin, and she had on the skimpiest cocktail dress she had ever seen on a woman.

"May I help you?" Hermione asked after she realized the woman was studying her.

The woman tilted her head slightly, a smirk grew on her dark red lips. "So you're Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's newest fling."

Hermione inwardly cringed at the word _fling_ even though she knew what she and Harry had was more than that.

"I'm sorry, I'm at a disadvantage since you already know who I am. You are?"

Hermione realized she must have hit a nerve when she asked who the woman was when the other woman raised an eyebrow at her question with fury evident on her face. Should she know who this woman was? She didn't particularly care about Harry's past relationships so she didn't bother to know who his exes were and what they looked like.

The dark-haired woman held out her dainty, manicured hand to Hermione. "I'm Cho Chang."

"Ah. The _infamous_ Cho Chang," Hermione said in a sarcastic tone. She looked at the other woman's hand before shaking it briefly. "The woman who not only _cheated_ on Harry, but was caught cheating on him with her teammate by Harry himself. It is such a _pleasure_ to finally meet you." She gave the other woman a smirk. If this woman thought she was going to be intimidated and would back down, she's got another thing coming.

The muscle under Cho Chang's eye twitched at her words, which gave Hermione a feeling of satisfaction.

"Enjoy it while it lasts. Sooner or later, Harry will get bored with _someone like you_ then he will move on to the kind of women he usually goes for," Cho retaliated.

"_Someone like me?"_ Hermione repeated. She felt her temper grow but she tried to tamp it down because she didn't want to rise to the other woman's bait.

"Oh, you know. Harry usually dates women _like me_. Beautiful, famous, hot-everything you're clearly not." Cho's pretty face was somewhat distorted by the sneer she gave Hermione.

"So you're saying Harry is shallow?"

Hermione saw Harry approaching them. His pace was hurried as he must have realized who was speaking to Hermione. Cho was unaware because her back was turned towards him.

"No, I'm saying that he deserves more than you. You're a plain, boring, nobody. You can't offer him anything so you won't be able to keep him occupied for long. He will tire of you soon enough. He probably even pities you, having a son and all, that's why he's indulging this _farce_."

Harry was close enough to hear what Cho had said and for the first time in his life, he wanted to slap a woman. Not that he condoned violence against women but what she said was vile, cruel, and disgusting. He couldn't believe he had dated this—this _bitch_ for so long previously. He decided to make his presence known at that moment to stop her from tormenting Hermione any longer.

"Alright there, darling?" He stood beside Hermione's chair and placed his hand around her shoulder in a subtle protective gesture. He looked at Cho with a pleasant expression on his face but deep inside he was seething.

Cho pasted a smile she probably thought was alluring but only served to irk Harry more. "Oh hello, Harry. I was just making the acquaintance of your lovely date. I've read so much about the both of you! And I was so looking forward to see you again. It's been so long since we last saw each other."

"Yeah, since I broke up with you last year for cheating on me."

"Come on, Harry dear. Surely you've forgiven me for all that. It was nothing." Cho rested her hand on Harry's arm which he not-so-subtly brushed away. Harry raised his eyebrow and looked at her in disgust.

"Of course, the humiliation it brought me was nothing." Harry waved his hand loosely as he rolled his eyes. He then fixed her with a hard look that only his enemies had ever had the pleasure of seeing. The look caused Hermione to shiver and she was not entirely sure whether it was due to fear or arousal.

"I would prefer that you do not ruin our night or our appetite any longer. Please be on your way." His tone was hard, with an underlying threat.

Cho looked at him then at Hermione before turning around in a huff and walked away. Harry didn't leave Hermione's side until he was sure that Cho was out of their sight. He released a breath he belatedly realized he was holding and squeezed Hermione's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he spoke so softly as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Hermione watched him as he took the seat across from her again. He sighed and looked quite upset. He was staring at the table as if the answer to the universe was written there. Hermione didn't want some chit to ruin their first date in the Wizarding World so she reached across the table and took Harry's hand in hers.

"Harry," she said, trying to coax him to look at her. It took a bit of pulling on his hand and calling his name before he looked up at her.

"Hey."

Harry shook his head. "I'm really sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

He sighed again. "But the things that _woman_ said to you-."

"Mean nothing," Hermione interrupted. "She doesn't know me so whatever she said about me does not hold any weight at all."

Harry placed his other hand, palm up, on the table and Hermione didn't hesitate to put her other hand in his.

"Besides," she continued, "I'm used to girls like her. I've lived with them for seven years back at Beauxbatons." She shrugged her shoulders and gave Harry a teasing smile, "Honestly, they need to come up with better insults. It's just the same thing over and over. They have probably never held a thesaurus in their whole lives."

Harry chuckled at her statement and visibly relaxed, which was her goal. She gave his hands a squeeze before leaning back in her chair. He smiled gratefully at her and Hermione blushed at the clear adoration in his eyes.

"Thank you." He gave her a gentle smile, it was a smile she noticed he directed only towards her. "I've been wracking my brain as to why I dated Cho for so long and not see how cruel she was. I don't know how that reflects on the kind of person I am or the people I surround myself with."

Hermione shook her head. "You shouldn't think that way, Harry. You are a good person and I am proud to be here with you. I'm sure the rest of your friends aren't as… intense, as Ms. Chang was."

Their food finally arrived and they talked of more pleasant things and their plans on Harry's birthday.

* * *

A week later—the encounter with Cho all but forgotten—Hermione, Ethan, and Margarethe arrived at the Wimborne Wasps Quidditch Stadium for their game against Harry's team, Puddlemere United. It was the first game of the official Quidditch season and it coincided with Harry's birthday. Hermione smiled at the obvious delight and excitement her son was feeling as they headed towards their assigned seats in the VIP box assigned for the players' family and friends. She recalled the moment when she and Harry told Ethan that they would be attending the quidditch game.

_Harry, Hermione, and Ethan were spending a day at Potter Manor in Wales. Harry arrived at their flat to pick them up and told them they were taking a portkey. It was the first time Harry had brought Hermione to his home and to say that she was surprised when she saw it would be an understatement. His ancestral home, as he had told her, was an elegant manor. The furthest right wall was covered with vines that looked like a waterfall of leaves. The walls were made of bricks and unpainted that gave it an old-world look. Cream-colored bricks lined the corners of the manor, the windows, and the arch leading to the front door. She could see that the gardens were well-maintained. Across the front door, in the middle of the gravel driveway was a fountain surrounded by carefully cut shrubbery._

"_Wow. You live here, Harry?" Ethan asked Harry as they appeared just below the steps leading to the house._

"_Yeah. This has been my family's home for years so I thought I'd live here as well," the dark-haired man answered._

"_Thank Merlin for apparition, right?" said Hermione._

"_Oh, definitely. I probably would be living in London right now if apparition wasn't available." He led them towards the front door. Harry turned towards them and with a cheeky smile, he opened the door and swept his hand across the interior of the house._

"_Welcome to Potter Manor, Mr. and Ms. Granger."_

_He gave them a tour around the manor which had 12 bedrooms, two sitting areas, formal dining room, a modern and well-equipped kitchen with an informal dining table. (Harry had mentioned that he enjoyed cooking so he made sure that the kitchen was updated to current standards), an indoor heated pool, his large office/study which was connected to an enormous library. Ethan and Hermione practically ran towards the bookshelves to browse the collection of books. It took Harry a few tries to get the mother and son away from the books and out of the library for lunch. They went back to the kitchen and saw a little boy sitting at the six seater dining table._

"_Teddy!" Ethan ran towards the young metamorphmagus. The other boy jumped from his seat and rushed towards the other boy. They exchanged hugs which made the adults in the room smile._

"_I didn't know you were going to be here!" Teddy told the other boy._

"_It was a surprise, Teddy. Did you like your surprise?" Harry asked as he approached both boys and led them back to the table._

"_Definitely, Uncle Harry!" Teddy's hair shifted to a bubble gum pink color, expressing his joy at his friend's presence. He turned towards Ethan. "We are going to have so much fun today! We can even go flying!"_

"_Before Master Theodore can go flying, he must eat his lunch first," a squeaky female voice spoke. Hermione turned around and saw two house elves each levitating a tray filled with food and drinks._

"_That's right!" Harry turned towards Hermione and gestured towards the two elves. "These are Dobby and Winky." Both elves bowed. "They work with me in taking care of this manor and its grounds. Winky acts as Teddy's nanny when he stays here."_

"_I am looking forward to when Master Harry has his own little ones that Winky can take care of," the female elf said._

_Hermione laughed as she crouched down to the elves' eye level and smiled. "It's good to meet the ones responsible for taking care of Harry. I'm Hermione," she gestured towards her son who was already seated beside Teddy, "and that is my son, Ethan."_

"_It is our pleasure to meet you, Miss. Master Harry has never brought any woman here to Potter Manor before," Dobby smiled and glanced at Harry, who rolled his eyes._

_Hermione looked at Harry over her shoulder and smirked at him. "Really? I wonder why."_

"_Don't you worry your pretty little head about that. Come on and let's eat. Dobby, Winky, please join us," Harry replied._

_Hermione's laughter followed him as he turned towards the table and waited for Hermione to take a seat before taking his own. _

_Once everyone was done with their meal and dessert was served, Hermione shared a look and a smile with Harry. He nodded and gestured for her to speak first._

"_Ethan, Teddy, Harry and I would like to ask you something," she began, waiting for the two boys to turn their attention towards her._

"_What is it, Mum?" The brunette boy asked._

"_Well," she shared another glance with Harry. "How would the both of you like to watch Harry's quidditch game next Saturday?"_

"_YES!" Both boys shouted enthusiastically._

"_Really, Mum? We're really going to watch the game?" Ethan was practically bouncing in his seat, so was Teddy._

"_Yes, it's Harry's birthday, as well, so there's going to be a celebration after it," Hermione answered._

"_I can't wait, Uncle Harry!" Teddy faced Ethan, a huge smile on his face. "I have an extra Puddlemere shirt you can borrow and wear to the game."_

_Harry and Hermione shared a smile as they watched the two children make plans for the upcoming game._

"Do you think Teddy's already here?" Ethan asked his mother as they rode the lift up to the stands.

"I'm sure he is." Hermione squeezed her son's hand in hers. "Harry said his grandmother would be bringing him here."

There was a ding and the lift doors opened to a hallway. They followed the signs that directed them towards the VIP box. There were already several people scattered in the lounge area, where there were tables for food and drinks for the guests. Beyond the lounge was the seating area for the guests.

"Ethan!"

The three of them turned towards the voice and saw Teddy approaching them, a middle-aged woman following him at a sedate pace. She had met Andromeda Tonks a week ago at Harry's home when the older woman had picked up a sleepy Teddy after dinner.

"Teddy!" Both boys hugged and engaged in excited chatter.

"Hello, Mrs. Tonks," Hermione greeted her. Andromeda smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. Hermione was surprised at the action but welcomed it and returned the hug. When they separated, Andromeda raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips. "It's Andy, Hermione. None of this Mrs. Tonks business."

Hermione laughed and gestured at the blonde woman behind her. "Margarethe, this is Andromeda Tonks, Teddy's grandmother. M-Andy, this is Margarethe, my best friend."

The two women greeted each other as they moved to the table to get food and drinks, while keeping an eye on the two children. 15 minutes before the game was to begin, a chime sounded around the stadium and the crowd cheered wildly.

Hermione looked at Andromeda. "That meant the game is about to start in a few minutes."

The two boys came to them and dragged them to their seats. The adult women laughed at the boys' eagerness and excitement.

Hermione sat beside a dark-skinned woman that smiled at her as she took her seat. Ethan sat on her right, Teddy, Andy, then Margarethe. She watched Ethan and Teddy with amusement as they alternated from shouting at the pitch and talking to each other.

"You must be Hermione," the woman on Hermione's left said. Hermione turned towards her left and looked at the woman in surprise.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm Theresa, Matthew George's wife," she leaned back so Hermione could see two more people seated on Theresa's left. "This is Lena Dawson, Rebecca's wife, and that's Crawford Littletown, Robinson's better half."

"You got that right!" Crawford joked. Hermione, in turn, introduced Ethan and Margarethe as the other three already knew Teddy and Andy.

"Is this your first live quidditch game?" Lena asked Hermione.

Hermione nodded in response. "Yes. To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the sport. But my son is."

"None of us are, really. Well, except for Lena here," Theresa said. "We're just really here to support our partners."

"Which you clearly are doing now, despite not being a fan," Lena inserted, eyeing the quidditch jersey that Hermione was wearing. "You must be incredibly special to Harry."

Hermione frowned. "What made you say that?"

"Well," Crawford began. "For starters, he's never had a date or girlfriend sit here with us. It's always his friends or the Weasleys, whom he considers family."

"Never?" Hermione asked in surprise. "Not even Cho Chang? But they've dated for quite some time, right?"

All three nodded. "They did but Harry never had Cho sit in this box the whole time they were dating. It was either she was at training or she just didn't want to watch him play. And they're going to play against each other today," Theresa explained.

"Or maaaybe, he just didn't really care for her all that much," Crawford chimed and laughed.

"Either way, Hermione here is a far cry from that slag," Lena spat. "Also, you're wearing a jersey with his name and number, which she _never_ did. That's basically like him _claiming_ you as his."

Hermione blushed. "It's not like that."

"Oh, it _definitely_ is like that, dear" Crawforn drawled. "That jersey was made exclusively for the players. It wasn't sold along with the official team merchandise."

"Oh, honey. It's quite alright. I've never seen Harry smile as much as since he started dating you. You're good for him." Theresa patted her hand.

Their conversation was cut off by a loud horn and the crowd began cheering again.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the first game of the 332nd British and Irish Quidditch League!" The commentator announced and the crowd went crazy. "Today, we will witness last season's first runner up, Puddlemere United, as they fight their way back to the top! The Wimbourne Wasps are not to be scoffed at, though! They finished fifth in the PQL last season! How far will they go this season? Well, what are we waiting for? Let's bring our teams out here now!" The commentator then called out the members of the Wimbourne Wasps, each sporting their yellow and black quidditch uniforms and leather guards, flying around the stadium

"Now let me call on the players of the Puddlemere United! We have Chasers Dawson, Merrell, and Puck, Beaters George and Bloomberg, Keeper Weasley, aaaaaaaand Seeker Potter!"

Hermione and the rest in their box cheered wildly as the members of the Puddlemere United team were called. The players flew around the stadium, waving and acknowledging the audience. Harry broke off their ranks and flew to the VIP box where Hermione and the others were. He hovered by the box and winked at Hermione, causing the brunette to blush deeply. The crowd cheered louder as the large screen in the stadium showed Harry winking at her, which she returned with a flying kiss. He gave her a winning smile and waved at Ethan and Teddy before flying back towards the other players.

Seeing Hermione in the VIP box wearing his personal quidditch jersey did funny things to Harry's stomach and made his heart flutter. Having Teddy and Ethan there made his heart swell, as well, making him more determined to win their first game. He wanted the young boys to be proud of him and to enjoy watching him play.

The game lasted an hour and a half, with Harry catching the Snitch and getting Puddlemere United's first win of the season. Hermione and company were led to the team's locker rooms where several members of the press were waiting outside for the players to come out. When some of Harry's teammates finally came out, they were swarmed by journalists and photographers. Hermione and her companions stayed back during the interviews with some of the players and their coach, Armond Lewis. She tried her best to keep herself small so the press wouldn't notice her there. The interviews took about half an hour before the press left. Theresa, Lena, and Crawford had already left with their partners, telling Hermione that they would see them at The Burrow later where Harry's birthday celebration was going to be held.

It took another ten minutes before they saw Harry peering out the door of their locker room. He looked around before turning to them.

"Are they gone?" He inquired.

"Yeap!" Ethan and Teddy answered together. The two boys ran up to him and Harry knelt to hug both children.

"Did you enjoy the game?" He asked the two boys.

Both began speaking excitedly, gesturing wildly describing the earlier game. Harry smiled happily as he listened to the young ones. He looked up as he noticed Hermione and Andy approach and rose to stand.

"Congratulations on winning your first game," Andy said as she kissed him on the cheek in greeting.

"Thanks. You didn't have to wait for me, you know," he answered as he kissed her cheek, as well. He turned to Hermione, a bright smile on his face.

"Hello, Harry," she greeted him with a smile and hug. "You played wonderfully! Congratulations!"

Harry laughed as he moved slightly away from her. "You actually kept your eyes open during the game?"

"Hey!" She slapped his shoulder as he and the others laughed. "I barely did, but I still watched. You're a bloody devil on a broom!"

"Mum, language! But that's why he's the best Seeker in the league!" Ethan exclaimed as he stood beside Harry. Hermione huffed but she couldn't help but laugh, as well.

"I don't know about you lot, but I'm starving!" Andy proclaimed as she took Teddy's hand.

"Me, too, Grandma! To The Burrow!" Teddy shouted excitedly.

"Let's go!" Harry said as he held Hermione's hand, while she held Ethan's, and led them to the nearest apparition point.

* * *

They appeared at a distance from the property of The Burrow. Harry heard Ethan's wonder as he first laid eyes on the crooked building which seemed in danger of falling over. He had been to the Weasleys' home too many times in the past decade or so but the house's charm never failed to bring a smile to his face.

"What a charming home," Hermione spoke beside him, unknowingly saying his thoughts out loud.

"The house is being held together by magic, isn't it?" Ethan asked as they entered the gate into the property.

"It is. The Burrow has been here for many, many years so the magic keeping it together is older than most of us," Harry explained.

"Wow," the young boy uttered. Harry knocked on the front door of the house which was immediately opened, revealing his best friend of many years.

"Harry! You're finally here!" Ron said loudly. "Come in, come in!" He ushered everyone into the house and led them to the sitting room where some of the redhead's family members were hanging out.

"Yeah, well. I waited for those pesky journalists to leave before I came out of the locker room," Harry related. "Ron, these are Hermione, Ethan, and Margarethe. Everyone, this is Ron. We've been best friends since we were eleven."

"Welcome, welcome! Glad to finally meet you. Harry won't shut up about you, you know," Ron said with a wink. Harry hit him on the arm and gave him a withering glare that caused the others to laugh.

"Likewise, Ron. It's nice to finally put a face to the name," Hermione replied, chuckling. Harry cleared his throat then addressed the rest of the redheads in the room.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger, her son, Ethan, and her best friend from Beauxbatons, Margarethe," he introduced the two women and child. One by one, the Weasleys approached the trio and introduced themselves. Harry's heart swelled at seeing his surrogate family welcome Hermione and Ethan. He already knew that he would be torn if the Weasleys did not like Hermione.

It was not the first time he had wondered about the depth and strength of his attraction to this beguiling woman. It also didn't help that he had been steadily growing closer to her son, who in turn, was also growing closer to his godson. And now, their lives were quickly blending together and he was powerless to stop it, even if he wanted to. He _knew_ he wanted Hermione and Ethan to know his life and family, for them to be a _part_ of it. He only hoped they want the same for him. He feared the day that Hermione realized he had no place in their lives, and he hoped it would never happen at all.

"Oh, how wonderful to have you with us today, dear," a motherly voice broke through his revelry. He watched as Molly Weasley, the Weasley matriarch, approached his girlfriend and gave her one of her signature hugs. She looked down at the boy beside her and bent forward.

"Welcome to our home, young man. No need to be shy. There are plenty of kids around for you to play with," she said with a smile. The boy beamed then looked up at his mother.

"Go ahead," she told him. He reached up and kissed her on the cheek before he and Teddy ran towards the other children in the room.

Both mothers followed the children with their eyes before turning towards each other. Molly gentle smile changed into a teasing one when she looked first at Harry then back at Hermione.

"You know, our Harry here has never brought a date to any of the family gatherings before," she whispered conspiratorially, but loud enough for him to hear.

"Molly!" Harry cried out.

Hermione simply laughed, giving him a shrewd look. "So I've been told more than once."

Harry gave her a questioning stare which Hermione only responded to with a wink.

"Well, we're happy to finally meet the woman who has captured more than our Harry's attention. Come, come," the matriarch said before leading Hermione and Margarethe away. Harry tried to follow them but Molly gave him a look that told him to stay behind. It worried him for a bit but he knew Hermione would be in safe hands within this group of people. He knew the Weasleys enough to know if they accepted someone in their fold.

"Alright there, Harry?" A male voice called out from behind him. He turned around and saw Neville.

"Hello, mate!" Harry gave the other man a quick hug. "Happy birthday to us!"

"You, more so than me," Neville teased him as he glanced in the direction of Hermione and the other women. "Bloody brilliant game earlier. You keep playing like that and you'll more than likely to win this season."

"Yes, well. We just got to play our best and avoid getting injured."

Neville nodded in agreement, looking again at where Hermione and the others were. It didn't take Harry long to figure out _why_ his friend was glancing intermittently at the crowd of women on the other side of the room.

"Well, well, well. Looks like Bill and I are not the only ones captivated by a French woman," Harry ribbed his former dorm mate.

Neville turned to him in a rush, face turning red due to blushing. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on, Nev. It's me here. I mean, I don't want to think you keep looking over there because of Hermione. I'm going to hex you if you were," Harry mocked threatened his friend.

Neville raised his hands. "Whoa. It's not like that, Harry! I'm not saying that Hermione is not eye-catchingly gorgeous, because she is! And she's one of the kindest people I know and-" Neville stopped his ranting abruptly after realizing Harry was laughing at him.

Harry clapped him on the shoulder and tried to stop his laughter. "Nev! Mate! I was just joking. Merlin, you should have seen your face!"

"You're a bloody git, you know that?" Neville told him, unable to keep an annoyed expression and ended up laughing with Harry.

"Seriously, though," Harry continued. "You should tell Marga that you're interested."

"Mate, you have seen her, correct? A lot of men-" "And women," Harry interjected. "-are likely lining up for a chance to date her! I'm just a flower shop owner that her company occasionally hires. I'm-"

"Out of her league. I know, I know," Harry continued as he waved his hand. "Hermione says the same thing about _me_, which I find preposterous because, if anything, _I'm_ the one who's out of _her_ league. She's a successful business woman and I'm just a guy who earns a living by flying on a bloody broom and flying after a golden ball. At least _you_ are a professor of Herbology and teaches at the school we all graduated from!"

Neville shook his head. "Look at us. Both attracted to incredibly strong and capable women. They could decide to conquer the world and we'd be right behind them, holding their handbags for them," he inadvertently admitted what Harry was accusing him off.

Harry nodded and laughed. "As long as Hermione keeps me around, I don't mind if she rules the world. But first, you've got to get your head out of your arse and ask Margarethe out before someone else sweeps her off her feet!"

"Who's going to sweep who off her feet?" Hermione's voice interrupted the men's conversation.

Harry looked behind Hermione to see if Margarethe was with her. Spotting the blonde woman being preoccupied in a conversation with Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley's sister, Harry bent down to speak.

"Our Neville's quite smitten with the vivacious Ms. Ackleman," he told her loudly enough for Neville but quietly enough that only the three of them could hear.

"Well, you best get a move on. I've noticed Ginny has been eyeing her a bit while we were speaking earlier," Hermione responded, patting Neville on the chest.

"Bloody hell," the dark-haired man muttered. "Excuse me, then," he said before walking towards the blonde woman.

The couple laughed at Neville before Harry turned towards her and wrapped his arms around the brunette.

"Having fun?"

"I am, actually. Your family has been the most welcoming," her voice held a tone of surprise.

He cupped her face in his hands and briefly pecked her lips. "I told you, you had nothing to worry about. They like you, they like Ethan. Heck, they even like Margarethe." Hermione laughed briefly. "Molly's right, though. I've never brought a date to a family gathering before." He swept a strand of hair from her face.

"Why not? And why do it now?"

"Because I want the family to know you and Ethan, and I want you to know my family," he answered, no hesitancy in his voice.

Whatever Hermione was about to say was interrupted by Molly's announcement that dinner was ready and for everyone to proceed to the back garden. Harry entwined his fingers with hers and followed everyone heading outside.

* * *

Dinner was a lively affair with Harry's whole quidditch team being there, the Weasley family and their children running about, and some of Harry's Hogwarts friends. The celebration of Harry and Neville's birthday had lasted all throughout the night. Ethan had asked to stay the night with Teddy and the other children at The Burrow. At first, Hermione had refused, not wanting Ethan to be a burden to the Weasley elders but Molly and Harry had convinced her that it was not a problem as Molly had been regularly watching over her grandchildren.

With Ethan safe and secure in The Burrow, Hermione went home with Harry to his manor. It would be the first time she would be spending the night at his home, despite having been in a relationship with him for several weeks already.

"Are Dobby and Winky here?" She asked, noticing that the manor was empty and dark when they entered.

Harry shook his head. "I gave them the night off. They went to Hogwarts to be with their friends."

"Friends?"

"Hogwarts house elves. The both of them used to work at the school before they asked if they could bond with me before I left Hogwarts," Harry answered as he waved his wand and several lights turned on. They went to the sitting room and Harry gestured for Hermione to take a seat before lighting the fireplace.

"Did you want anything to drink?" He asked as he stood.

"Perhaps some tea? All that food was too good not to eat. And now my stomach is bloated," Hermione grimaced. "Mrs. Weasley is dangerous to my figure."

"You are not bloated, Hermione. Anyway, I'll be right back with tea," he told her, kissing her on the head before heading to the kitchen.

Hermione followed him with her eyes until she couldn't see him anymore. She sighed and sat back on the settee in front of the fire. She loved this room-next to the library- because of its warmth and comfortable atmosphere.

Her thoughts flew to the events earlier that evening. She had finally met Harry's "family" and they were nothing but wonderful to her, her son, and her friend. They never made her feel like she was an outsider and had tried to include her in their conversations. Her son had gotten along well with the other children and seemed to have developed friendships among them. Their lives were rapidly becoming entangled with Harry's and there was nothing she could do to stop it, even if she wanted to.

But seeing Harry interact with the Weasleys, and how they interacted with their numerous children including her son, gave her a feeling of longing and sadness. They reminded her of her own family, or the lack of, and the wrong decisions she had made when she was younger. She lost count of how many times she had held back her tears throughout the night whenever she saw Molly and Arthur Weasley acted as doting parents and grandparents to not just their own children but to everyone, including her. She didn't realize there were tears in her eyes until Harry hurriedly knelt in front of her and wiping away her tears.

"What's wrong, Hermione? Why are you crying?" He asked. His voice soft and filled with worry.

"It's n-" She began to say but Harry shook his head.

"Don't tell me it's nothing. I've noticed it all night, you know. I saw how you've been trying not to cry several times, how you tried to hide your sadness. Please, tell me what's wrong," he pleaded.

Another thing she discovered in the past weeks of being with Harry Potter was she couldn't deny him anything whenever he asked for something, looking at her with his intensely soulful green eyes.

She took a deep breath and held his hands in hers, pulling him so he would sit on the sofa beside her. She looked towards the roaring fire and sighed.

"I-I want to tell you about my parents and Ethan's father."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know, I know. I ended the last one with a cliffy. So, here we are with the answers! A little late—_again_—but better late than never, right? This was a bit difficult to write but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Ta!**

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Harry's heart rate went up a few notches after Hermione spoke. He never demanded or pestered her to tell him about her past. In all honesty, he didn't really care about her past as it didn't have any bearing on what he had been feeling for her. She was here with him, along with Ethan, and that was what was important to him. But he couldn't deny that he had been curious about the life of a younger Hermione Granger, and how she came to the point of bearing a child as a teenager.

Mentions of the past also served to remind him of his own dark past. He was grateful for Hermione because she never asked him about what had happened in the war. And maybe that's why he felt the desire to come clean to her, even though he hated the idea that knowing about his past would change how she felt about him.. But this moment was about Hermione, and he would give her all the time and attention she needed and deserved. He knew it was never easy to talk about one's past, especially if it wasn't a pleasant one.

"As you know," Hermione began. "I was born in England but my parents moved to Paris for a job opportunity."

Harry nodded. She mentioned this to him when they had first met months ago.

"My parents… were not the most affectionate people. I'm sure they loved me in their own way. They gave me the best education that money could buy. I never lacked food, toys, or books, and had everything a child could ever want." She continued to stare at the fire as she spoke, giving Harry the opportunity to admire her profile as he listened to her.

"But what I wanted was my parents' affections. I would see how my classmates' parents were and wondered why my parents weren't like that with me.. Somehow, I only ever saw their warmth whenever I achieved anything, whether academically or in other extracurricular activities.

"So I strived to be the best student I could be. I devoured every book I could get my hands on. Despite being bullied and friendless in school because I was considered a bookworm and a teacher's pet, I kept at it even when I went to Beauxbatons." Harry wiped the tears that had fallen down her face. It hurt him to see her in pain but he knew there was nothing for him to do at that moment but to let her tell her tale.

Hermione took a deep breath before continuing. "My first four years in Beauxbatons were similar to my days in prep school. I still worked hard to achieve the best grades, the only difference was I had Marga and she made school better. I was ready to endure and tolerate the same treatment in school before I even started. Then there was this feisty eleven-year-old blonde girl introducing herself and basically ordering me to accept we were going to be best friends for the rest of our lives." She laughed then reached for one of the cups of tea that Harry had set down on the table in front of them. Harry mirrored her actions and drank his tea as well. Hermione took her time drinking her tea, savoring the warmth of the cup in her hands.

"In the summer before sixth year, my parents decided to sit me down and speak to me about my future. They had wanted me to follow in their footsteps after I finished Beauxbatons. They said that they only humoured my curiosity about magic and the magical world but it was time to come back to reality. They told me that after I graduated from Beauxbatons, I was to snap my wand and throw away everything I owned that came from the magical world." He was horrified by the ultimatum her parents had given to her. To be a part of a world filled with wonder, a world that was a part of her because of her magic, then to leave it was akin to leaving a part of who she was as a person. Her tears had been streaming down her beautiful face and Harry didn't stop himself from wiping them away with his hands. He wished he could take away more than her tears.

"Coming back to Beauxbatons for my sixth year, I rebelled. I felt like whatever I did, whether I excelled in my studies and achieved top marks, it would not have mattered because when I'm done with school, I would have to leave it all behind."

Harry admired her for her courage in baring herself to him like this, looking back on her hesitancy in sharing even the most basic information about herself when they had first met.

"What did you do?" He asked when the silence lasted a bit too long. Hermione glanced at him, embarrassment and shame filled her face as she sighed.

"I did shitty things. I let my grades slide, I skipped classes. Then I sort of got mixed up with the wrong crowd. They encouraged my… rebellion. We would drink smuggled liquor at random times during the day, did 'party' drugs and potions, I even tried smoking. Margarethe was trying to stop me but I just ignored her. For the first time in my life, I had let go of all my inhibitions and control, and at the time, it felt so freeing."

Harry felt his heart break for the young Hermione. He knew what it felt like when people tried to control your life, and to finally be freed of that control was intoxicating. But sometimes, there was a steep price if you let it take you over. He gave a nod so she could continue her story.

"That was when I met Damien Barreau. He was one of the students I was spending so much time with. He was… charming and handsome with his sandy blond hair, strong jaw, and bright blue eyes. It wasn't long before he and I started sleeping together."

She grimaced. "Having thought about it, an empty classroom wasn't the best place to lose your virginity while you're drunk and high as a bloody kite. But all of that made me forget that in less than two years, I was going to give up my magic. I did everything I could to help me forget that soon, I was going to give up a part of me and be someone I knew I didn't want to be, just because I wanted to please my parents. To gain their approval. But I was tired of being the perfect daughter, the perfect student. My professors and other friends had shown their concern about what I was doing, but I didn't care and rebuffed their worries, and continued my downward spiral.

"Before Christmas break came, I had been feeling ill for a few days and had been throwing up practically every morning. I went to the hospital wing, thinking it was just all the alcohol I had consumed while barely eating anything or maybe a stomach flu."

_"Since when did you start feeling like this?" The Beauxbatons resident healer had asked her._

_"About a week, I think?" She answered, avoiding the healer's gaze. _

_"And you've only thought about coming to me now?! I know what you have been doing, Ms. Granger, and a lot of people are worried about you," the healer said. _

_"I don't want people's concern. Just tell me what's wrong with me so I can go." She knew she was being a bitch to the woman, who was only concerned for her wellbeing, but she couldn't help it. She was irritated because of how she had been feeling for the past week and she just wanted it to go away._

_The healer sighed and waved her wand around Hermione then pointed it to a clipboard that was floating beside her. She took a few moments to read the diagnostics and her expression betrayed nothing of what she was reading. _

_"Well?" Hermione inquired, growing impatient due to the lack of reaction or explanation by the healer. _

_"Well, looks like you're going to need to stop your… _extracurricular _activities very soon." She waved her wand over Hermione then back to the clipboard again._

_"What do you mean by that?" _

_The healer read whatever was on the clipboard for a few seconds more before looking at Hermione, worry and sympathy clear in her expression. "What I'm trying to say is that you're pregnant." _

"You can imagine my surprise when the school healer informed me that I was already a month pregnant. I was devastated because I knew I was too young to be a mother. I didn't know what to do! I don't know the first thing about raising a child!

"It was also the day my parents demanded that I go home for the holidays. They already knew what I had been doing in school because the headmistress wrote to them about my 'activities'. When I came home, I had already planned to tell them about the pregnancy. The moment we stepped foot in the house, they started screaming at me for bringing them shame because of my actions. I-" Hermione let out a sobs and Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders, trying to convey comfort to her.

"I would guess that you said some things that were not all that pleasant," he said.

Hermione nodded as she tried to wipe her tears. "Things a daughter should never say to their parents, even if they weren't the best parents in the world.

"After I'd said my piece, I ran out of the house, wanting to be far away from them. So I spent hours outside, just wandering around because I didn't want to go back home yet. When it started to get a bit late, I decided to go back home, thinking that maybe we've all had enough time to cool our heads off and hopefully we can talk about everything better." This time, she faltered. She drank her cold tea as Harry rubbed her arm in comfort. He could see how this part of the story clearly distressed Hermione more than what she had shared previously.

"When I got home, there were two muggle police cars parked in front of our house. I hurriedly ran to the house, scared and worried that something had happened."

_Hermione ran towards the officers that stood outside their front door, one of which was ringing their doorbell._

"_Officers, how can I help you?" She asked, breathlessly._

_Both police officers turned to look at her in surprise that slowly turned to something like sympathy._

"_Do you live in this house?" One of the officers asked._

"_Yes, this is my home," she answered._

"_Then you are related to Roger and Helen Granger?" The other one inquired._

_Hermione frowned. "I'm their only daughter." Both officers turned to look at each other, which caused Hermione's heart beat to increase and anxiety rapidly built up inside her. "What's going on?"_

"_There had been an accident earlier this evening. A drunk driver swerved into their car as they were driving along the main road," one of the officers explained._

"_But they're alright, right? What are their injuries? Were they brought to the hospital?" She threw her questions at them rapidly._

_The officers shared another of those looks and she wished they would stop doing that because it was bloody annoying!_

"_Well?"_

"_They were brought to the _Sainte-Perine Hospital_, which was the closest to the place of the accident." There was another beat of silence before the officer spoke again._

"_Unfortunately, they didn't make it."_

_It felt as though the whole world tilted and there wasn't enough oxygen for breathing. Hermione's knees gave out and she fell down, thankfully one of the officers caught her before she hit the ground._

"_We're so sorry. Take deep breaths. Come on, breathe with me," he said, but his voice sounded as though he was speaking from a far distance. Her parents were dead. They had died and the last thing they said to each other were hurtful things. Hermione couldn't feel, hear, or see anything. She didn't even get to tell them about the life that was growing inside of her._

_She realized the officer was still talking to her and he had dragged her to one of the chairs on the patio and handed her some bottled water. She didn't realize tears had fallen down her face and that she was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped around her stomach tightly. She had lost her parents, the only family she had._

"_Ms. Granger?" She vaguely heard someone say her name. She looked towards the direction where the voice had come from._

"_We're going to need you to come with us to identify them." Then everything went black._

Harry, at that point, hauled Hermione from her place on the couch and sat her on his lap. She had been sobbing and he hoped, as he wrapped himself around her, that he somehow helped in easing her pain. He kissed her temple and tried to say something, anything, to console the distraught woman in his arms.

After a few minutes, Hermione calmed down somewhat. Harry summoned a pitcher of water and glasses from the kitchen, filled and gave her one to help soothe her.

"I was scared and alone. I didn't think I could handle everything that was happening. I wanted to give up. I didn't know where else to go since I didn't have any other relatives left, and I had a baby growing inside me. I was desperate so I went to Margarethe's house. She is a godsend, that woman. Despite my shite during the months prior to the holidays, all she did was hug me when she saw me on their doorstep. I was a terrible friend to her and she still welcomed me into their home. I told her everything: my parents' ultimatum, my rebellion, the pregnancy, and the fight prior to the accident.

"She and her family helped me arrange my parents' funeral and settle all their affairs. I sold my parents' shares of the dental practice to their partners. I had originally planned to keep the house so I had a place to come home to when summer break came but Marga and her family insisted that I stayed with them, that I needed company especially during the later stages of the pregnancy. I was exceedingly lucky to have a friend like Marga. I probably would not be here if she rejected me when I appeared on their doorstep."

Harry hugged Hermione tighter. He could sympathize with her, having shite happening one after the other. He refused to think about what she would have done if no one had been there to help her. She was so strong, her strength had always been one of her traits that he admired most. And it pained him to know that at some point, she almost gave up. He never would have met her if she did and he shuddered at the thought of what his life would be like at that moment without her in it. She had given his life so much color and warmth he didn't know it lacked.

"What happened when you went back to Baeuxbatons?" He asked.

"Margarethe and I talked to Headmistress Maxime regarding my situation. As I was the top student in my year, part of my tuition was under a scholarship. All the money I acquired after selling my parents' shares, the house, and collecting my inheritance, were placed in Gringotts. I was going to use them to fund my education. I also told the headmistress about my pregnancy. I was afraid they would ask me to drop out because of it but she told me that while it was not a common occurrence, there had been previous circumstances where students continued their studies despite being pregnant. '_Education is important, you see. How are you supposed to support the life growing inside you if you do not have the skills and capacity to do so?' _was what she told me."

"I've met Madame Maxime during the Triwizard Tournament. It happened during my fourth year. She used to date my friend, Hagrid. Were you not part of the student body that went to Hogwarts?" He asked as Hermione took a drink of water.

She shook her head. "I asked to stay behind so I could study. It wasn't required for every student to come to Hogwarts for the tournament so Margarethe and I stayed back in France."

"Pity. We could have met years earlier." He wagged his eyebrows comically at her.

"I doubt you would have noticed me with all the French girls walking about. And I'm sure there are a lot of pretty girls in Hogwarts, too. I heard most of the male population in Hogwarts went gaga over Fleur during their stay there," Hermione laughed.

"Well, I wasn't one of them. But my best mate Ron did." Hermione laughed even more. "He kept mooning over her during the year and attempted to ask her to the Yule Ball. Well, he asked her _then_ ran away before she even answered him," Harry chuckled at the memory.

"And now she's married to Ron's brother," she pointed out.

"Yeah, she is. Ron's happy for them and we always get a laugh whenever we remind him about his terrible crush on Fleur."

"Fleur had always been the belle of Beauxbatons," Hermione remarked.

"So what happened after you spoke to your headmistress?" He prompted after they were silent for a few minutes.

Hermione took a deep breath, as if bracing for the next part of the story. "I ditched all the terrible habits I had and cleaned myself up. I went back to studying properly, trying to regain my grades. After a few weeks, Damien and his juvies came to me and asked me why I stopped hanging out with them. I took Damien aside and told him about the pregnancy," she paused.

"Something tells me he didn't take it too well," Harry commented.

"He didn't. In fact, he denied it being his."

"What?!"

Hermione nodded. "He basically accused me of getting knocked up by some other guy and passing it off as his to get something out of him. He was the only one I had been with at the time, we were likely too drunk or too high to cast the contraceptive charm at one point. He told me he couldn't have a child so young and that it would ruin him, as if all his activities in school wouldn't ruin him enough," Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's just lucky his daddy paid enough to cover up whatever shite he was up to. As if _my_ having a child as a teenager wouldn't _affect me,_" Hermione said venomously.

"Was Damien someone important?"

"He liked to think he was important." Hermione eyes narrowed. "He's the son of one of France's equivalent to the British Sacred 28. Damien Barreau was a pureblood and while France is more open when it came to blood status, the Barreaus are huge bigots. The only reason why Damien even slept with me was because of some idea of a thrill that it was 'forbidden' to be with a muggleborn in his family. They would not accept a child born from a muggleborn like me, and he knew that. I wasn't planning on being a part of their racist family, anyway."

"Why tell Damien about the pregnancy, then?"

"I just wanted to let him know. I told him the only thing I wanted from him was to sign off his parental rights when the baby was born. I don't want my child to have any connections to him or his xenophobic family," she answered.

"I think that was a smart move," he concluded.

"Thank you. So I studied hard even while I was pregnant. The Beauxbatons healer and Margarethe were a great help during the pregnancy. Other students would look at me and whisper about my condition but I ignored them mostly. At that point, all my priorities were centered around the baby and our future. I did all I could so I can give it a good life."

"And you did. You still do." Harry cupped her face and kissed Hermione's forehead, then her lips.

"You are an amazing mother to Ethan. Damien does not deserve the _privilege_ of knowing the wonder that is his son. Do you want me to give Damien a visit so I can hex him to the next century?" He asked her, his expression serious.

Hermione laughed out loud, thinking he was joking, and shook his head. "Nope. I haven't seen nor heard from Damien since I graduated from Beauxbatons. He's not worth it, anyway."

"No, he's not," he agreed, but he was already planning ways to get to Damien Barreau so he could give him a piece of his mind.

"I'm sorry." It was spoken so softly that he almost didn't hear it. He looked down at Hermione, who was looking at her hands as she twisted them on her lap. He cupped her chin and raised her head so he could look at her eyes. She tried to resist him but eventually followed his gesture.

"What are you sorry about?" He questioned, he let his confusion show on his face.

"For burdening you with all of this. I just," she sighed. "I wanted you to know and I wanted everything to come from me." Fresh tears appeared in her eyes and he kissed both her eyelids then her nose.

"No, Hermione. If anything, I am glad that you trusted me enough to share your past with me. Now, I will be able to help carry whatever burden you feel you have. You don't have to bear it all alone. You have Ethan, and Margarethe. Now, you have me, as well," he told her. He swept her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Harry?" she asked him, the insecurity clear in her voice.

"Yes," was all he said before he kissed her with all the feelings he had. He wanted to show her that she deserved so much more. She had some bad experiences and had made the wrong decisions, but who hadn't? He was not one to judge her for her mistakes, because he had made mistakes that had cost _more_. But despite all that, she had grown into an amazing woman and he admired her greatly for it. Her past served only to make him fall for her more. And he knew that it was happening to him. He was steadily, surely, and inevitably falling for the woman in his arms.

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Hermione knew it was going to be difficult telling Harry about her history but what she didn't expect was the feeling of a burden being lifted off her chest and shoulders. She could not help but think how perfect Harry was during the whole ordeal, and how open-minded he was. How such a man was still single and no woman had him tied down had always been a wonder to her.

She knew her experiences were nothing compared to his, based on the books written about him that she had read before. While she never asked for information about his past, Hermione was a curious creature by nature. Hopefully someday he would be comfortable enough to share some of his childhood with her. But until then, she would wait and share her story with him.

It was an incredibly freeing experience. And when Harry spoke of carrying her burden with her, it brought tears to her eyes. Yes, she had dated before, some lasting for a few months, but no one had spoken such words to her before. She was so used to doing things on her own, and occasionally with Marga, that it was something new for her to hear.

She had always been independent in nature, having to learn to take care of herself because of her parents' busy careers. Now here was a man who was not only every woman's hot fantasy but also every woman's dream come true. He took care of her like it was his business and cared for Ethan, not just because he was his girlfriend's son, but because he genuinely liked the boy.

Hermione moved from her perch on Harry's lap and straddled him without breaking their kiss, her thighs on either side of his hips. She ran her fingers through his perpetually dishevelled hair while upping the intensity of their snogging.

"Hermione…" Harry whispered.

"Yes?" She answered as she showered his face of kisses.

"I want you," saying back the words she spoke to him before the first time they made love. Instead of answering, Hermione stood up from her perch and began unbuttoning her top. Harry sat there in front of her, his eyes following the movement of her hands. He visibly swallowed as her hands slowly moved to open the rest of the buttons of her shirt. She could see his effort in keeping himself seated while she divested herself of her clothing. She threw her shirt on the carpet, which was followed by her denim trousers. Hermione was about to bend forward to remove her socks when Harry suddenly knelt in front of her.

He looked at her with unbidden lust and, dare she believe it, _love_ as he lifted one foot and slowly took off her sock. Once he had removed it, he lightly placed a kiss on the inside of her leg. He did the same on the other leg and Hermione was already panting with desire. Harry stood up and kissed her hard, his tongue invading and plundering her mouth as she tried to reciprocate.

She didn't have enough patience to unbutton Harry's shirt so she just tore it open and threw the garment on the ground. Hermione grabbed his belt and hurriedly unbuckled it and opened the button and zipper of his trousers. She reached inside and grabbed his cock, causing Harry to separate from their kisses with a groan.

"Merlin, Hermione," he moaned, leaning his forehead to hers. His hands were not idle, though. One hand was busy kneading one of her breasts while the other was pushing her knickers down her hips. Hermione pushed his trousers and boxer briefs down, freeing his erection. Harry kicked off his clothes as she stepped out of her knickers and pushed him back towards the couch. She straddled him again as he fell on the cushions and wrapped his arms around her. He unhooked her bra and threw it away while Hermione was busy kissing and licking his neck and shoulders.

Hermione decided to be a little naughty and sucked a little harder on his throat, leaving a very _noticeable_ mark. She moved back with a smirk on her lips as she stared at her handiwork.

"You realize people are going to see that, don't you?" He asked her, eyeing her mischievously as he realized what she did.

"Do you care?" She challenged him.

He shrugged before grabbing both of her breasts. "Not particularly. I do like you being all possessive of me, though." He kissed her hard before taking one of her hardened nipples in his mouth. The feeling of his hot and wet mouth around her sensitive bud aroused her even more. Hermione rocked her hips against his, rubbing her wet slit on his rock hard erection.

"Fuck me," Harry said, almost begging.

Hermione rose a little as Harry grabbed his cock and she dropped herself on him. Both groaned at their joining, and Hermione couldn't help but think that sex with Harry seemed to only get better every time they did it. She started riding him, moving her hips back and forth, and she threw her head back, her eyes closed as she moaned. Harry's arms were wrapped around her, his hips thrusting to meet hers in a practiced dance that was theirs alone. She poured all of her feelings for this man, who was quickly captivating her heart and soul, into their movements.

"You feel so good," she said as she looked down at him, her hips moving up and down his erection harder.

"I want to keep fucking you for the rest of my life," he returned. He moaned loudly after one particularly deep thrust and she loved hearing him moan, as it only aroused her more. She captured his lips in a searing kiss before Harry moved and laid her down on the sofa, changing their position. Hermione was so far gone in her lust-induced haze that she didn't mind the change at all.

Harry started pounding into her and she couldn't help it, her moans getting louder and louder. She screamed his name as she came and was quickly followed by a loud groan as Harry orgasmed. He rested his head on her chest while they both tried to regain their breath.

Hermione stared at the ceiling as she ran a hand through his sweat-covered hair. He was a little heavy for her small frame but she savoured his weight on her. She loved it whenever his warmth surrounded her and her heart swelled with love. She froze as the thought sprung in her mind out of nowhere. _Love? I can't be… I can't. It's too early._ As much as she denied it, the thought had already taken root in her mind and she couldn't get rid of it anymore.

He must have felt her freeze because he lifted his head from her bosom and looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" He asked as he caressed one of her cheeks.

She shook her head and smiled at him, hoping it would convince him. "Nothing's wrong, Harry. Except you being too heavy."

He chuckled and adjusted their position on the furniture, with him lying on his side between Hermione and the back of the sofa. Hermione laid facing him, one arm around his waist and the other pillowing her head. He took hold of his wand and summoned a blanket and some pillows.

"So we're sleeping here tonight?" She asked him, amused as he arranged the pillows and blanket around them.

"I'm too tired to even walk the distance from the couch to the kitchen, I doubt I'll make it to the bedroom," he said before he yawned. "That party wore me out."

"You sure that's what wore you out?" Hermione giggled when he pinched her arse before settling his hand there.

"You cheeky minx. Go to sleep. You've had an eventful day," he murmured as he closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him.

"I think 'eventful' is the understatement of the year." Hermione wrapped her arm tightly around Harry's waist and rested her cheek on his naked chest. She let his steady heart beat lull her to sleep. And as she slowly succumbed to her tiredness, she kissed his chest and whispered. "Thank you, Harry."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the delay. But I'm here so that's what counts, right? LOL. Thank you, TyrannicPuppy for going over this! Anyway, hope everyone enjoys this chapter. _*runs and hides*_**

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"What do you guys want for drinks?" Harry asked the two boys who were jumping in excitement beside him by the snack bar.

"I'd like a Coke!" Ron Weasley called out from behind him.

"Not you, you git. You can get your own drink." Harry laughed and brought his wallet out after the kids had given their orders. He ordered another Coke for himself and one iced tea for Ethan's mother, even though she wasn't there yet. He wondered when she was going to arrive since the football game would be starting in a few minutes.

A month had passed since Hermione had revealed her past to him. He could honestly say that it only served to bring them closer. They were practically joined at the hip whenever they weren't busy with their respective jobs. Their sons had grown closer as well and it was adorable to watch the little ones bond and play together.

He, Ethan, and Teddy, along with his friends Ron, Dean, Neville, and Seamus arrived earlier at Wembley Stadium to watch a football game, something Harry and Hermione had talked about doing together during their "unofficial" date. This was part of their birthday gift to Ethan, who turned 10 a few days prior. Hermione had asked him to bring Ethan along first, which he easily agreed to, because she had some leftover work she had to finish before going to the game.

Once they'd bought their food and drinks, the group headed for their seats and waited for the game to begin.

"Where's Hermione, Harry?" Seamus asked before taking a bite of his club sandwich.

"She said she had to finish up some work before she comes here. Teddy and I picked up Ethan at the bookshop earlier," Harry answered. He looked down at both boys and told them to hold still before he wiped their faces of cheese powder from the popcorn they were eating. He didn't see his friends watching him until he looked up after making sure both kids were clean enough. They all had an amused expression on their faces.

"What?" He asked, frowning.

They just laughed at him. "Nothing, really. Seems like you're getting enough practice for fatherhood. Anything you'd like to tell us?" Dean said.

Harry just shook his head and sat back on his chair. He _had_ been spending quite a lot of time with Hermione, Ethan, and Teddy whenever their schedules permitted it. They would be like a little family going on outings or just spending the day in either of their homes. It was all so domestic and Harry had to admit he loved every minute of it. Watching Hermione play with Ethan and Teddy, teaching them and sharing her vast knowledge of the world with them, or just simply taking care of them, would fill his heart with so much emotion, he felt like he would explode.

The depth of his feelings for the gorgeous brunette scared him sometimes. They had only known each other for a few months, but it felt like he had known her for as long as he knew Ron and the others. There was just something about her that simply mesmerized him.

Every little thing she did only made him love her even more. His eyes widened at the thought. _Love_. He exhaled sharply. He had never been in love so he didn't recognize the signs before that moment. _Love_. It was the first time he associated the word to a woman. Yes, he loved the Weasleys as you would love a family. He loved his godson as you would love your own son. But being _in love_ was a foreign concept to him.

He waited for that suffocating apprehension every time he thought of experiencing such a feeling for another person, but it didn't come. All that came was a sense of warmth and peace when he associated the feeling to Hermione. There was a certain rightness to her and Ethan being a part of every aspect of his life. He was sure that it would be a grave mistake if he ever messed it up and let her go.

"Mum! Aunt Marga!" Ethan's voice disrupted his musings. He turned around and felt his breath taken away from him.

It seemed Hermione changed clothes before coming to the stadium. She was wearing a low V-neck black shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans, camel-colored leather jacket, and nude heels. She fixed her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and she was wearing her wide-rimmed glasses. It was all casual and chic but damn, his girlfriend was _one hell of a gorgeous woman_. And he couldn't wait to get her alone again so he could show her just how beautiful she was.

Harry had to shake his head to get rid of his wayward thoughts about Hermione as she approached them.

He watched as she greeted her son and Teddy. "Hello darlings!" She kissed both boys on the cheeks. He looked on, amused, as his godson blushed at her affections. It seemed he was not the only one besotted with the beautiful brunette.

"Hey, Harry." Margarethe kissed him on the cheek, as well, before taking the seat beside Neville. Neville stammered and his face flushed as he offered the food and drink he had bought for her.

"Hi! Sorry, we're late. Work was a little crazy," she said apologetically after she kissed him on the lips and took her seat beside him.

Harry smiled at Hermione and shook his head. "It's alright. You haven't missed much anyway. It's only 15 minutes into the game." He gave her the drink and sandwiches he bought earlier for her. "Here, I got you these."

"You are a godsend! Thank you!" She said gratefully as she took the food and drink from him. "Merlin, I'm absolutely starving!"

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "It's nothing."

"You're too good to me," she said with a winsome smile and his heart pounded in his chest. Gods, how he loved this woman. He had no idea how she felt about him but he knew he had to tell her about his feelings. And soon.

* * *

_Harry knew all too well where he was. He had been in that place far too many times. But something was different this time, he could feel it. He felt like something was going to happen._

_He kept walking deeper into the forest. While a lot of dangerous creatures live in the Forbidden Forest, Harry had spent enough time in it that he was prepared for any unexpected attacks. Wand in his hand, his awareness of his surroundings on overdrive, he looked around looking for something even though he was not sure what._

_He came upon a clearing and something about that space felt familiar to him. He walked into the open space and froze, his hands began to tremble. Across the clearing was Voldemort, wand up, pointing forward. He looked at what Voldermort's wand was pointing at and felt his knees gave out as he saw Hermione, on her knees. There were tears streaming down her beautiful face but her expression was one of defiance. He felt a small smile grace his face at the evidence of Hermione's strength and courage._

"_Harry Potter, glad that you could join us," Voldemort said, his voice was still the eerie raspy sound he had heard so many years ago._

"_You're dead. I made sure of that," Harry retorted as he stood up._

"_Oh, but I am the most powerful wizard in the world. A mere teenager could never defeat me."_

"_But I did. And I will, again and again," Harry said, walking slowly towards the dark wizard and Hermione._

"_Even at the cost of the woman you love?" Voldemort taunted as he poked Hermione with his wand._

_She looked back and glared at Voldemort, causing him to laugh. "I like this one. Feisty. A mudblood but definitely pleasant to the eyes." He touched Hermione's cheek with his wiry fingers, making her recoil from him._

"_Don't touch her!" Harry shouted, his heart pounding as he thought of ways to get Hermione out of this monster's clutches._

"_You've already enjoyed her. Isn't it only polite to share?" Voldemort jeered and Harry knew he was baiting him, making him lose focus and control._

"_You're a foul and evil creature and someone like you has no right to touch her!" Harry growled. He was just a few feet away from the pair. All he needed was an opening so he could get a clean shot at the dark wizard._

"_And you do? You think she will ever love you when she finds out how many people you have killed? And how about the people who have died because of you? Does she know how much blood is on your hands?" The dark wizard continued his torment of Harry._

_Harry's heart faltered as he looked at Hermione, wide-eyed staring back at him. He silently asked for her understanding._

_He looked back at Voldemort, hatred clear in his green eyes. "I did what was necessary! And I will end you before you touch another hair on Hermione's head," he answered. He now had the opening to fire a spell directly at Voldemort. All he needed was the right timing._

"_This is getting boring," Voldemort rolled his eyes. "Say goodbye to your little mudblood, Potter. _Avada Kedavra!_"_

_Hermione began shouting. "Harry, I-" Then her lifeless body fell on the forest floor, the amber-colored eyes he loved were open but glassy and unseeing. Her face, once full of life, was now pale and expressionless. Her rosy lips were open and gray._

"_No!" Harry screamed as he pointed his wand at Voldemort but was met but a sickly green light._

"No!"

Harry woke with a start, sitting up in a rush and looked around wildly. His eyes got used to the darkness surrounding him and he finally recognized where he was. He was in his room, in his home, behind wards that kept his enemies out and kept his family safe.

_His family._

A warm hand touched his shoulder, calming the torrent of emotions inside him, and he looked towards the owner of that hand. Hermione's wide eyes looked at him with so much worry that it caught his breath.

"Harry? What's wrong?" She asked, her voice still rough with sleep.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing. It was… nothing."

Hermione had a doubtful look on her face as she stared at him. He avoided her eyes and stood up. He quickly put on his pants and grabbed a shirt from one of the drawers.

"I'll just go down and get a glass of water," he told her. He didn't wait for her to respond as he hurriedly left the room.

Thankfully, the children weren't disturbed by his outburst. He went to the kitchen and took out a glass from one of the cupboards. He filled it with water and drank it all in one go. He filled the glass again but did not drink it this time, as he stared out of the windows directly above the kitchen sink.

It wasn't the first time he'd had a nightmare about Voldemort. He had them since he was a teenager, but it had been a rare occasion in the more recent years. It was the first time he had one with Hermione. He didn't know what triggered the dream and he hoped it wasn't a sign of any disaster happening soon. The thought of losing Hermione hurt him immensely. He wouldn't just feel loss and grief, he knew it would be akin to losing a big part of himself. If he was smart, he would end his relationship with Hermione before anything bad could happen to her and Ethan. But he had learned in the recent months of being with her, that he was also selfish when it came to her. For years, he had given up his happiness for other people. He thought that maybe it was time he finally had what he wanted.

He was so deeply lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear Hermione arrive in the kitchen. He jumped slightly in surprise when she called out his name from the other side of the kitchen counter behind him.

"Harry?" Her voice was soft.

"Sorry, did you say something?" He asked, trying to act casually.

Hermione shook her head. "I was just calling your name. What happened up there, Harry?"

She still had that worried look on her beautiful face and all Harry wanted to do was take it away. Hermione went around the kitchen counter and stood in front of Harry. She cupped his face and Harry leaned into her touch by instinct. Her touch chased away the coldness that the nightmare had brought him.

He sighed and held the hand cupping his face. He gave her palm a kiss before speaking. "I had a nightmare about Voldemort."

Hermione's face grew more concerned. "Are you alright? Do you get nightmares about him a lot?"

"I have the occasional nightmare. I'm actually used to them by now but this time, it's different. I—" He faltered then looked away from Hermione, the dream playing clearly in his mind. He closed his eyes as he repeatedly saw the cursed green light hitting her then her lifeless body falling to the ground.

Hermione raised her other hand and tried to get Harry to face her again. He didn't even bother to resist her. He looked down at her golden-brown eyes and he drowned in the emotions swirling in them. Harry felt a sense of immense awe at the realization that the emotions in those expressive eyes were directed at him, that those feelings were _for him_. He couldn't help himself from leaning down and giving her a quick kiss.

"Stop distracting me, Harry," she teased.

He chuckled. "Sorry."

The mood turned somber again as they stared at each other's eyes.

"Tell me," Hermione whispered.

Harry sighed in resignation, knowing how stubborn she could be, as he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist. "It was the day when Voldemort and I had our last stand-off," he began. "It was in the Forbidden Forest. He and his Death Eaters sought to invade Hogwarts as it was the last stronghold for the resistance. Voldemort told me that he would cease the fighting and killing _if_ I went to him alone. For the sake of everyone, I went out to him willingly."

Hermione's gasp of horror warmed his heart, in an odd sort of way. He continued. "He was in a clearing, waiting for me. Back then, his death eaters stood off around, watching, but in the dream they weren't there. Voldemort wasn't alone, though. He—" He struggled to continue.

"It's okay, Harry—"

He shook his head violently. "No, it's not okay! Because you were there! He—he held you hostage, at wand-point." He moved out of Hermione's arms and faced the sink. He leaned on his hands and stared out of the window again, eyes undiscerning, as he recalled his nightmare.

"He said that y—no one would love me because of the blood on my hands, because of the people I've killed and the people I failed to save." He couldn't keep the tremble out of his voice as he recalled Voldemort's words to him and the numerous faceless death eaters he had fought against and the people who fought with them. He did not regret his actions because it was either us or them. He had studied and trained to fight, to survive, because he had to. While he wished he could have saved everyone, he had time to accept that And the idea that Hermione would turn her back on him because of it shook him to the core.

Harry felt a hand wrap around his arm and pulled him gently. He looked down and Hermione stood beside him. There was a gleam of determination in her eyes that somehow eased some of his fears.

"Harry, you were dealt a bad hand as a child and you had no choice in the matter. You did what you had to in order to survive a madman and his minions," she said. "And those people you were not able to save? You were fighting a war a teenager had no business fighting. You were meant to end an evil man, but it's not your job to save everyone else."

"Are you not bothered at all? That I have killed a man before? Several men and women, in fact," he asked incredulously.

"Did you kill them only because you wanted to? Did you feel joy in ending their lives?" She returned.

"No, of course not!"

"Then I don't have a problem with it! If you didn't fight to live, if you didn't survive, you wouldn't be here! _We_ wouldn't be here!" Hermione grabbed his face and made him look straight at her. There was indignation in her expression, as well as annoyance. "You ended a dark wizard who would not have been satisfied with England. Sooner or later, he would have spread his reign of terror to other countries, or to the whole world! What's the difference between you and a muggle soldier who fights to protect their country?"

Harry could only stare at the flushed-face of the woman in front of him. He was almost sure she would be revolted by the fact that his hands weren't clean. But not only did she not care about it, she just refuted his argument. It was one of the reasons why he did his best not to get attached to someone, because not everyone would be able to accept his dark past.

All he could do at that moment was stare at her in astonishment.

"Who you are now is more important than who you were before. You wouldn't be the man you are today if you didn't fight your way to live through the war," she continued as she placed a hand on his chest, where his heart was. "You are an amazing man, Harry. And I am _grateful_ to have met you, to be a part of your life, to be right here—with you."

Harry felt his love grow for the brunette. He had never met anyone with a larger heart than her. He didn't know what to say so instead of speaking, he did what he had wanted to do since he saw her in the kitchen: he kissed her. All the emotion and love he felt fueled his kisses, turning them from tender to passionate. She matched his passion with hers, her tongue dancing with his while giving as good as she got. He wanted to tell her he loved her, that he had never loved anyone before her, and he would never love anyone as much as he loved her.

He was filled with so much love and desire and all he could think of was being inside her again. He backed her against the kitchen counter as his hands untied the dressing gown she was wearing. Her hands weren't idle as she lifted his shirt and dragged it off of him. When the robe fell from her shoulders, he broke the kiss and looked down her body, encased only in a pair of black knickers. The vision of her nearly naked form caused an intense heat to run through him.

She unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them off his hips. He didn't bother wearing boxers when he left his room earlier. He kicked off his jeans as he pushed her knickers down her legs. Once both of them were naked, Harry took her mouth again as if he couldn't live without her kisses. He ended the kiss then turned her around, both of them facing the counter.

Breathing heavily, he placed himself behind her as he kissed the sides and back of her neck. He grounded his erect cock on her bum, causing her to moan loudly. She gasped in surprise at the sound she made and slapped her hand over her mouth to keep herself quiet.

"You can be as loud as you want, love," the endearment falling easily from his mouth. "I warded the whole kitchen. No one's going to hear or see you when I take you right here, right now."

"Thank Merlin for that," she replied breathlessly before moaning again as he took hold of her breasts and played with them. He couldn't take it anymore so he pulled her hips away from the counter and bent her forward, slightly lifting her hips. He positioned himself at her entrance, swiping his erection along the slickness of her pussy.

"Harry…" she called out to him. "Stop teasing me."

"Yes, ma'am," was all he said before he pushed himself deep inside her. They simultaneously moaned at their joining and Harry thought there was no other place he would rather be. He moved inside her, savoring her warmth and the sounds she made as he made love to her.

"Oh, that feels so good. More, please," Hermione begged, and of course he would deliver. All he ever wanted to do was to keep making her happy and feel good. He felt his orgasm creeping up on him but he forced it down because he wanted to prolong their lovemaking. He couldn't help the groan he released as he felt her walls ripple around his cock.

"Just a little more. I'm almost there, Harry," she moaned as her hand reached behind her and held his hip. Harry thrust deeper and faster, wanting her to come before he did. He pounded into her and in no time she was screaming his name as she came. He came just a few thrusts after her. He leaned his arms on the kitchen counter, avoiding putting his weight on her as she collapsed on the counter's surface.

Hermione slowly turned around and wrapped her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her, as well, then gave her a short but sweet kiss.

"Kitchen sex is now becoming one of my favorites, I think," Hermione said as the kiss ended.

"Any kind of sex with you is my favorite," he responded.

Hermione laughed and gave him a sly look. "Flattery, Mr. Potter."

"Just telling the truth."

"Sure, whatever," she said as she put on her knickers and picked up her robe. Hermione watched him as he put on his jeans but he had foregone his shirt.

"Are you okay now?" She asked him.

Harry gave her a big smile then kissed her forehead. "Never felt better."

He took her hand then led her out of the kitchen and went back to his bedroom.

* * *

Hermione watched Harry as he slept soundly. Last night was the first time she experienced Harry having a nightmare. She could never imagine the horrors he had seen during the war, and she would not have been surprised if he had post-traumatic stress disorder. It seemed like he had dealt with it prior to meeting her but there were still lingering signs of it, like his paranoia.

She couldn't believe that Harry thought himself unlovable because of what he did in order to survive a war he shouldn't have been involved in as a teenager. He was practically a child with a massive weight on his shoulders that even full-fledged adults would not have been able to deal with. If anything, she admired the hell out of him because he didn't just accept the hand that fate had dealt him with, but he did what he could to live through it. She didn't know what she would have done in his place, the burden of saving the whole British magical society—and by extension, the whole world!—on his shoulders when he was no more than a child.

She reached up and played with his bangs. She never really looked at the lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead before. It was pale and faded, and Harry styled his hair in a way that would hide it from view. She had noticed that when people talked to him, they would automatically look at his forehead, trying to take a peek at his world-famous scar. It never really occurred to her to look at his scar, because it was just that, a scar. A reminder of his parents' murder, of the early loss of his family.

To see Harry—confident, smart, witty, and caring Harry—weighed down by his insecurity that no one would love him, simply broke her heart. Hermione almost blurted out she loved him while he was telling her about the nightmare. She wanted to reassure him that he was loved, that despite their horrible pasts, love was there for them. She still wasn't sure about Harry's feelings for her but she was sure of hers for him. It was simply one truth that was inevitable, she realized. A truth that was signed and sealed from the moment she saw him at Puddlemere Stadium.

She continued to play with Harry's hair for a few moments more before Harry's breathing changed, indicating that he was waking up. Hermione had slept beside him often enough to know his quirks when sleeping and waking up in the morning. His arm, which was draped loosely around her waist, tightened, and pulled her towards him. Bright, green eyes slowly emerged from closed eyelids as he opened his eyes and looked at her directly. A lazy but content smile graced his lips before he leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

"Good morning," he greeted her after the kiss ended, his voice low and raspy from sleep.

"Morning." She dragged her hand from his chest upwards and wrapped it around his neck, her fingers played with the strands of his hair.

"How long have you been up?" He asked.

"Just a few minutes."

Harry looked back at the clock on his bedside table. "It's still early." He yawned before kissing her tenderly on her forehead.

"Go back to sleep, then," she said as she wrapped her arms around his chest.

"Nah, I'm good. I've had a good sleep."

Hermione smirked at him. "I bet you did."

"Minx." Harry chuckled and pecked her lightly on the nose.

"Thank you," he spoke softly as he stared at her eyes.

"What for?" Hermione whispered.

The clear adoration on his face that he was giving her was almost too much. It's so rare for a man to be this open about his feelings . Harry swept her hair from her face and cupped her cheek.

"For being here. For being you," he answered.

"Harry-"

"I love you."

Hermione froze and her eyes widened at his declaration. There were only a handful of times in her life where she had been rendered speechless. Her mouth was open in surprise and her heart was beating hard and loud in her chest, she had to wonder if Harry could hear it.

"You don't need to say it back now, you know," he spoke in a hurry, likely misunderstanding her silence. "I just wanted you to know. It was something I've been thinking about and have realized lately. It's probably not the best way to tell—"

Hermione woke up from whatever trance she sunk into while Harry was rambling. She shook her head slightly before crashing her lips to his, effectively silencing him. It took a few seconds before Harry caught on to what was happening and began kissing her back.

Hermione ended the kiss and slightly moved back so she could look at Harry. When Harry opened his eyes, she cupped his face and smiled at him.

"I love you, too, you silly man."

Hermione had always loved Harry's smile. But the smile that he gave her after she told him she loved him was one that she would never forget. It was filled with such unabashed happiness and love that it made her feel light and brimming with joy.

"You do? You really do?"

She could sense the tiny bit of doubt in Harry's voice which broke her heart. For a man as confident and easy-going as Harry, sometimes it was easy to forget about his history. The loveless and abusive childhood, the war he was forced to fight, his family and friends dying. With his fame and popularity, it was understandable that he was unsure when it came to people's sincere affection for him. She vowed to keep making this man feel loved and happy, just as much as he made her happy.

"I truly do, Harry." She pecked his lips lightly. "And you telling me this—right here, right now—was perfect. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Thank Merlin," Harry breathed then looked at her with a serious expression. "I have never felt this way about anyone before. I knew you were something special when I met you. Now I know why. I don't want to screw this up, Hermione."

Hermione caressed his cheek, swept her hand down his neck then stopped on his chest where she could feel his heart thundering, just like hers.

"Me, too," she replied. "It's unbelievable how much I feel for you in such a short time. It—it scares me sometimes."

"I feel the same way. But don't ever think you're alone in this. You and Ethan have me now, no matter what happens."

Hermione nodded after a beat. "Just as you and Teddy have Ethan and I."

Harry gave her the lightest and most tender kiss she had ever received, and it melted her heart more than all the other explosive and passionate kisses they had shared previously. She could feel his love and affection through that kiss and tears stung her eyes. Harry must have felt her tears as they fell because he pulled back and looked at her with so much concern that it brought more tears.

"What's wrong, love?" His voice filled with worry.

"Nothing. Oh God." Hermione shook her head and wiped the tears with both hands. "I'm so sorry. Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is perfect. _You_ are perfect."

"What are you talking about? _You're _the perfect one, not me, love," he retorted as he helped dry her tear-stained cheeks.

"I love it when you call me that." She gave him a watery smile.

"What? Love?"

"Yes."

"I love calling you that. Because that is what you are. _My love_," Harry said as he tightened his arms around her and pulled her to him, their naked forms pressing against each other.

"And you are mine."

* * *

Realizing you were in love, and finally accepting and admitting the fact, were two different things, Hermione had concluded. Every touch, every look, and every kiss they had shared the past week since she and Harry had admitted their feelings for each other had _more_ in them. While some things didn't change much since that day, she noticed some things did. They would sit closer together, they would find themselves touching the other more, there was a certain… added tenderness to their interactions. Even their disagreements weren't as heated as they used to be. What was more significant was that they were more honest with each other. Maybe it was because they already knew each other's deepest secrets and fears, or maybe being in love with someone made you trust the other person explicitly.

Hermione wasn't entirely sure but she also wasn't about to question it. The happiness she had with Harry ever since meeting him seemed to only grow for the past months that they had been together. It wasn't just her happiness that had been elevated, but Ethan's as well. She could see the joy in Ethan's eyes and smile whenever Harry spent time with him and Teddy.

She knew Ethan needed a father figure in his life, even though she had tried to fill in both roles as she raised him on her own. It seemed he had found one in Harry and while their growing closeness still worried her, it also filled her with delight. She never knew such bliss was to be had when you finally found the right person. While their relationship was far from perfect, it was bloody well close to it.

As she walked into her office inside _The Bookend_, filled with ever-consuming thoughts of Harry-bleeding-Potter, she almost missed the screaming headlines of certain publications that were placed on top of her desk. She didn't know how they got there, but the how didn't matter more than what was written on them at the moment. Her heart stuttered as her trembling hands reached out to grab that week's edition of _Witch Weekly _and the latest issue of _The Daily Prophet_. She almost fainted as she read the printed bold texts:

_**Exclusive! Wimborne Wasps' Cho Chang, Pregnant with the Man-Who-Conquered's Child!**_

_**Hermione Granger: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly  
How the seemingly proper Ms. Granger's past wasn't proper after all!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: _*comes out of hiding*_ It's that time of the week again! I know, I know. A lot of you wanted to kill me for that cliffy in the last chapter. LOL. So here I am trying to make up for it. (Or am I? Hmm.) Thank you for your love for this fic! We are almost at the end! Thanks to TyrannicPuppy for going through this. Enjoy! :)**

**P.S. The quote/first line was taken from DeliverMeFromEve's amazing fic, _Forever Knight_. Go give it a read (if you like angst, vampires, and badass Harmony!).**

* * *

_The Gods could bear not too happy a mortal_.

This was the phrase that repeatedly ran through Hermione's mind as she stared at the screaming headlines. She slowly took a seat on one of the chairs at her desk, eyes unwavering on the printed letters. She was torn between wanting to know what was written and setting the blasted things on fire. Heart hammering away in her chest, her curiosity eventually won.

_**Exclusive! Wimborne Wasps' Cho Chang, Pregnant with the Man-Who-Conquered's Child!**_

_What a scandal!_

_In an exclusive interview, the Wimborne Wasps Seeker has revealed that she is currently pregnant. And the father of the unborn child? None other than the Man-Who-Conquered and Saviour of the British Wizarding World, Harry Potter!_

_Ms. Chang described in detail how their affair had ended up bearing fruit— _

She didn't finish the article as she quickly let go of the magazine as if it burned her.

Logically, Hermione knew what was written in the weekly periodical was nothing but lies. She was a creature of logic, it would be easy for her to disregard the article as rubbish. But her emotionally-fogged brain could not think straight and her chest felt like it was being crushed inwards.

Her attention was captured by the moving pictures on the front page of the newspaper, which she forgot she held in her other hand. It seemed it was taken from their first date in the Wizarding side of London. The irony that it was the same night she met Cho Chang for the first time wasn't lost on her.

She took a calming and steadying breath before she opened the newspaper.

The whole article basically detailed her life in France before she moved back to London. It astonished her with how comprehensive the article was. What shocked her more were the statements given by Damien, whom she hadn't spoken to since giving birth to Ethan when she had him sign his parental rights away. He made it seem like her accidental pregnancy was a part of an elaborate plan to elevate her status in the wizarding world. While it annoyed her greatly, it also hurt her. Because despite growing up and not having seen each other for years, it would seem like Damien Barreau was the same arsehole she had met at Beaubaxtons.

The article then went on to speculate whether she had specifically targeted Harry and created an intricate plan to seduce and trick the Saviour of the Wizarding World into dating her. It ended by questioning if Harry would ever realize what a scheming, manipulative witch she truly was.

Her jumbled thoughts were halted by a sharp knock that came from behind her. She turned to address her visitor and she froze the moment she saw who it was.

"Did you like my presents?" Cho Chang asked haughtily, a poisonous smile on her pretty face.

"How did you get in here?" Hermione realized how dumb her question was, but her normally quick and articulate mind was having a hard time forming complete thoughts at the moment.

"I have my ways," the other woman replied. "I wanted to see your reaction when you finally saw the articles."

Cho walked further into her office while Hermione stood from the chair she sat on but felt rooted on the spot.

"I told you he deserved better than you. Now, Harry and the whole wizarding world know who the real Hermione Granger is," Cho laughed, waving her hand at Hermione dismissively. "It wasn't all that hard to find all that dirt on you. All I had to do was look at the right place."

"Unfortunately for you, Harry already knows everything. I am not ashamed of my past, Cho. And Damien Barreau is human garbage. Something the both of you have in common." Hermione glared at the other woman. At that moment, anger and disbelief slowly took the place of pain and fear inside Hermione. Her past was nobody's business but hers and the people she had entrusted it with. And the audacity of this woman to share something so personal, without her consent, made her want to hex Cho Chang into the next century.

"I'm not going to let you do the same thing you did to Damien to Harry!" Cho's voice rose, obviously, Hermione's word had struck a nerve.

"What I did?!"

"You tried to use Damien! That's not going to happen to Harry!"

Hermione exhaled sharply. "Unbelievable. Aren't you doing the same thing to Harry? You are clearly delusional."

"Me? You're the one who's being delusional. Do you honestly think Harry wants a ready-made family? He will look at your son and he'll be reminded that the brat isn't his. Sooner or later, he will get fed up and leave you."

"And then what? Do you expect him to come running back to you? Even pretending to be pregnant with his child? Really, Cho. You honestly think he will buy this whole pregnancy thing?"

"Who says I'm pretending?" She smirked. "How sure are you that the child I'm carrying isn't Harry's? That he and I haven't been seeing each other behind your back?"

Hermione's heart slammed against her chest but she refused to show that she was affected by this vile woman's words. She _trusted_ Harry, she knew it in her head but her heart was too emotional at that moment to see through Cho's lies.

"You and I bloody well know that _if_ you are pregnant, the truth will eventually come out that it _isn't_ Harry's."

"And by that time, you would be far, _far_ away from him."

Hermione shook her head, chuckling. "Even if I wasn't in the picture, he will _never_ get back with you. He _despises_ you."

"You bitch!" Cho yelled before slapping Hermione across the face. The action surprised her more than it hurt her, stunning her into silence.

"What the hell?!" Both women turned towards the door and saw Alice and Stephen standing within the threshold of her office. Both sprang into action, Alice approaching the still shell-shocked Hermione while Stephen grabbed Cho by the arm and dragged her away from his boss.

"Who the bloody hell do you think you are, coming in here and attacking Hermione?!" Alice shrieked, pointing at Cho rudely. She then turned to Hermione, silent and eyes unfocused, and had grown unaware of her surroundings.

Alice looked back at the other woman being held back by her colleague. "Throw her out of here, Stephen! Get her stench as far away as possible."

Stephen nodded then proceeded to drag the petite woman with him. "Come on, you. Your presence is unwanted here so you're trespassing."

"Let go of me, you wanker!" Cho tried to pull her arm out of Stephen's hand but his grip on her was firm without being painful.

"No can do, lady. Not until you're out of Ms. Hermione's property. Unless you want us to call the Aurors…" Stephen said. Alice listened to their bickering until she couldn't hear their voices anymore. When silence finally filled the office, Alice gently guided Hermione back to the chair and made her sit. She summoned a bottle of water from the small icebox in Hermione's office and handed it to her boss. This woke her from the daze she had fallen into after she was slapped.

"Alice?" Hermione looked at the younger woman, unshed tears making her eyes look glassy.

"I'm right here. Are you alright?"

Hermione shook her head. "I—I don't know."

Alice nodded sympathetically. "I completely understand. She ambushed you."

"Have you seen today's issue of _The Daily Prophet _and _Witch Weekly?"_ She asked weakly.

"I did. And I can't believe they printed all those lies Cho spouted. And the stuff about you, they had no right! No bloody right—"

"How do you know they're lies?"

Alice looked at her employer as if she grew another head. "Hermione, are you really blind? Where were you these past few months? Everyone and their mother could _see_ how gone on Harry Potter is with you! I'm surprised the bloke hasn't asked you to marry him yet!"

Hermione shook her head. Yes, she and Harry _had_ admitted their love for each other but was that enough? Was _love_ enough? She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She looked away from the young brunette and her eyes landed on a photo frame of her son.

"Ethan…"

Hermione quickly got up and gathered her things, ignoring Alice who was looking bewildered at her.

"I'm sorry but I have to go." She looked at Alice, and what Alice saw in her eyes worried her. "I know you and Stephen can take care of the shop for me."

"Of course, Hermione."

Alice followed silently as Hermione hurriedly left her office. They could already hear the clamor of people at the front of the store and they looked at each other. Hermione stood rooted there, the expression on her face was of fear.

"Go around the back, Hermione," Alice instructed her. "There's an apparition point there that's closer than the one you usually use. Go. We'll distract them."

Hermione slowly nodded then turned to head towards the back of the shop. Alice watched her until Hermione vanished behind the door that led to their storeroom. She took a deep breath then whipped out her wand from her pocket. With determination, she walked to the front of the store to deal with those who dared to ruin Hermione's happiness.

* * *

Hermione quickly entered her flat, glad for the thousandth time that she decided to live in the Muggle side of England. It would take the magical press time to find where she lived, so before that happened, she decided they needed to get away for a while. After quickly packing several clothes and essentials for herself and Ethan, she drove her car to Ethan's muggle school to pick him up.

"Mum!" Ethan called out when he saw their car as he exited the school building.

"Hey, little man," she greeted him, doing her best not to show her son that something was wrong. As she watched him put on his seatbelt, she saw him take notice of the overnight bags sitting at the back of the car.

"Are we going somewhere, Mum?" Quickly figuring out what the bags were for.

"Just a little trip out of town. I realized we haven't gone on a trip yet this year," she told him as she started driving.

"Yeah but we normally go during the summer before school starts," her son pointed out. "It's already two weeks into the new school year."

"I know, and I'm sorry. This past summer has been… hectic. That's why I decided for us to go now."

"Where's Harry? Isn't he coming with us? How about Teddy?"

Hermione swallowed slowly and deliberately, taking her time to answer. "Well, Harry's still out of town for the game with Montrose. He'll be coming back tomorrow."

"And we can't wait for him?" She could detect the suspicion in her son's voice. He knew something was wrong. Sometimes she cursed her son's staggering intelligence.

"Well, I wanted this trip to be just the two of us. Just like before, our little tradition."

Ethan stared at her for a long time before he nodded and sat back on his seat. Hermione internally sighed in relief, though she knew this wasn't the end of this discussion. Her son was quite perceptive, even at such a young age.

It was not long before she and Ethan were talking about his classes and other things, both studiously avoiding the topic of the absent Puddlemere Seeker and his godson. But their conversation was interrupted by her phone ringing. Hermione grabbed the Bluetooth headset, placed in her ear before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"_Enfin! _Where the bloody hell are you?"

Hermione recognized the voice of her best friend for the past 15 years. She had to will herself to keep tears from spilling by taking a deep breath.

"I'm not home right now."

"I sort of figured that out, seeing as I've been knocking on your door for the past ten minutes! I saw the paper and the magazine."

"I saw them, too."

"Where are you now? I'll go to you."

"Ethan and I are going on a trip." She looked down at her son and he gave her a smile. "And we'll be gone for a few days."

"_Merde_! What do you think you're doing, Hermione?!"

"It's just a few days, Marga. _Je vais bien._" (I'm fine.)

"You're not. I know you, Hermione. Have you talked to Harry yet?"

Hermione couldn't stop a lone tear from falling and she hastily tried wiping it discreetly.

"_Non_."

"He probably hasn't seen it yet, then. If he did, he'd be back here in a second. Or call you, at the very least."

Hermione had the same conclusion but it hurt too much to think about him at the moment.

"Hermione, please," Margarethe's voice pleaded. "_Ne fuis pas."_ (Don't run away)

Hermione shook her head even though her friend would not have seen the gesture. "I'm not running away. I just… I need space. And time. Everything is just overwhelming right now."

She heard Margarethe sigh. "_Bien._ I will call again later to check in on you and Ethan. I'll handle things on this end."

"_Merci beaucoup, chère_. Just tell everyone that I'm fine and that Ethan I will be back after a few days."

"Hermione—"

She ended the call without saying goodbye. She felt her emotions begin to crush her.

"Mum?" Her son's voice broke through her rampant thoughts and emotions.

"Yes, love?"

"I know something's wrong."

She didn't know how to answer her son without breaking down. Things were spiralling out of control and she felt like she was drowning.

"Of course not, Ethan. There's—"

"You were perfectly fine this morning, then suddenly you want to get as far away from London," her astute son said, matter-of-factly. "I may be only ten but I know you, Mum. I know when you're not okay, and right now you're not okay."

"Oh, darling." She reached out her hand and touched Ethan's shoulder, squeezing it. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

"I'll always worry because you're my mum. Did you fight with Harry?" He asked bluntly.

"Oh no. No, nothing like that."

"You can tell me, Mum."

Hermione wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulled him towards her and quickly dropped a kiss on his head. "I know, Ethan."

* * *

Harry tiredly sighed as he dropped his bags on the floor beside the couch. He stared at the furniture, memories of the night Hermione told him about her past and what happened after brought a smile to his face. He looked up at the clock on top of the fireplace mantle and realized it was too late to visit Hermione. He fished out his phone from his jacket, thinking maybe he could at least call her before going to bed. He noticed there were a lot of missed calls on the screen of his mobile and he wondered who had tried to contact him as he was unable to check it the whole day.

He frowned as he saw several missed calls from his friends—Neville, Seamus, Dean, among others. But seeing Margarethe caused worry to fill him. He immediately called her.

"Harry!"

"Margarethe? Hey. Why—"

"Where are you? I've been calling you so many times—"

"I just got back. What's wrong—"

The line went dead and he heard the crack of apparition from outside his house. He rushed to get the door before Margarethe even knocked.

"Thank Merlin you're finally here!" Margarethe exclaimed as she walked past him, entering the house quickly.

Harry closed the door and followed behind the blonde. "Would you tell me what's—"

Margarethe rounded on him so fast he almost crashed into her. "Have you seen today's paper? _Witch Weekly?_" She demanded.

"No. I just arrived from Montrose, Margarethe. I had no time to check anything else but my mobile," he answered, wondering why on Earth she was asking about them instead of telling him why she was acting like a crazy person.

He watched as she whipped out her wand as she summoned _The Daily Prophet_ which came flying from the kitchen. As she caught the newspaper, she pulled out something from her pocket, tapped it with her wand to return it to its original size.

"Look at those, please." When Harry kept staring at her while holding both publications in his hand, she rolled her eyes then snapped her fingers at his face. "_Vite!"_ (Quickly!)

He followed her order and looked at what was in his hands. He didn't need to read the articles to figure out what was written in them. In a sudden surge of accidental magic due to his staggering anger, the newspaper and magazine burst into flames.

"Merlin!" Margarethe shouted in surprise, waved her wand to douse the fire. Harry let go of the burnt and wet items then stared at his unburnt hands.

"Harry?"

He looked up at the woman standing in front of him and he could see the worry on her pretty face.

"Has Hermione seen this?" Marga noded. "Where is she?"

"I honestly don't know." She began pacing. "I called her earlier to check on her. She said she and Ethan are fine, but that's all she would tell me."

"Bloody hell," he cursed loudly, dragging his hand through his hair and messing it up further.

"Harry—" Margarethe stopped pacing then approached Harry.

"She knows the pregnancy is a lie, right?" Harry asked her desperately.

"That's what I told her. But Harry, you have to understand. While she is normally a creature of logic, she's also quite emotional at the moment."

"She _has_ to know there's not an ounce of truth in that trash!" Harry said, fear and worry were beginning to consume him.

"I'm sure she knows that but with the pregnancy claims and the revelation of her entire life in the front pages of these publications, she's bound to not be thinking clearly right now. That's not even the worst part."

Harry's eyebrows went up so high that they vanished behind his bangs. "What do you mean by that?"

"Cho was at _The Bookend_ earlier."

Harry turned towards the door but Margarethe grabbed his arm to stop him. "Alice told me that it was Cho who brought the paper and magazine in her office. After Hermione found them, Cho appeared and they had an argument. There were raised voices so she and Stephen went to check on Hermione. Then—"

"Then what?"

"I don't know what was said, Harry, neither do Alice nor Stephen. But when they reached the door to Hermione's office, they saw Cho slap her."

"_I am going to kill that woman!"_

"No, you're not!"

"Why the hell not?! My _ex_," he said the word with so much venom and vehemence."—just physically abused my girlfriend! Never mind that she had lies printed for all the world to see and read. The press and shallow-minded people will go after Hermione!"

"Calm the hell down, Harry! _Pour l'amour de Dieu_!" (For heaven's sake!) Margarethe shouted, frustrated at the dark-haired wizard.

"_Fuck_! I have to go find Hermione!" Harry walked past Margarethe and headed to the sitting room to get his things.

"Harry! Harry, listen to me!" She grabbed his arm again and pulled him to face her. "You can't just ambush her."

"Marga! My relationship is on the line here! I need to talk to her, I need—"

He was cut off by the ringing of his phone. He quickly took it from his back pocket and stared at the screen. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw Hermione's name.

"It's Hermione." He told Margarethe before answering.

"Hermione, love. Where are you—"

"Harry."

Harry halted as he heard Ethan's small voice from the other end of the call.

"Ethan, buddy, where's your mum? Can I talk to her?"

"She just stepped out to buy dinner."

"Where are you right now?"

"Uhm. We're near the beach."

"Alright. Can you tell your mum to call me when she gets back?"

Ethan didn't answer for a beat or two and Harry grew even more anxious as the silence dragged longer.

"She was crying earlier today," the boy said, his voice soft and quiet.

"I know, little man. And if you tell me where you are, I can go there and fix whatever made her cry," Harry replied, growing more desperate by the second.

"I can't. I don't think Mum wants to see you right now and I have to protect her, you know."

Harry sighed. "Of course, Ethan. I completely understand. She's your mum and she's your priority right now."

"Yeah."

"I just… I need you to know that I love your mum, Ethan. I know I promised you that I would try my best not to hurt her. This time, other people hurt her, but they did it because of _me_. And I want a chance to fix it, I want a chance to take away whatever hurt her, and make her smile again."

He took a deep breath and slowly released it before speaking again. "And I love you, too, Ethan. You and your mum are very important to me. And I want to be with you both all the time, like a real family."

"Really?"

Harry smiled at the eagerness in the child's voice. "Really. It's very hard for me to be away from you and your mum all the time."

"And Teddy?"

"And Teddy, yes," he chuckled. "If you want, we can discuss this further when you get back. We can spend some time together. Just you, me, and Teddy."

"I'd love that, Harry," Ethan paused. "I think Mum's back. I have to go now."

"Alright, bud. Call me if you need anything, alright? Anything at all."

"Okay, Harry. Thanks," the boy spoke in a hurry.

"Thank you for calling me tonight."

"Bye, Harry." And the call ended.

Harry stared at the phone for several moments before Margarethe spoke up. "What did Ethan say?"

"They're staying somewhere near the beach but he wouldn't tell me where. They're both fine. He told me his mum was crying earlier." Harry rubbed his forehead, a headache was rapidly developing.

"I heard what you told Ethan. Do you really love Hermione?" Margarethe asked, her blue eyes piercing.

Harry blew out a breath as he took a seat on the sofa. He dragged both hands through his hair, leaned forward—with his elbows on his knees—and looked straight at her, his gaze unwavering. "Yes. Completely and irrevocably."

Margarethe sighed in what he thought was relief. "Good. And did she tell you she loves you, too?"

"She did." He frowned. "Maybe… Maybe I didn't show her enough how much she meant to me, gave her reasons to doubt my feelings for her. Maybe that's why she left?" He directed the question to his girlfriend's best friend.

Margarethe shook her head. "I've seen you with her, Harry. Even without telling me, I _knew_ how you felt for her. Just like how I knew how she felt about you.

"Knowing Hermione, she just needs time to process everything and think things through. Her mind works differently from ours and this would be the first time that she needed to take her feelings into consideration. It's a daunting task for her because she has never fallen in love. Until now."

"What do I do now?" He answered, but felt he knew the answer.

"Give her time. And when she's ready, she will come to you."

Harry simply nodded. "I hope so, Marga. I really hope so."

* * *

The beach house Hermione and Ethan were staying at near Camber Sands Beach was painted in white, inside and outside. Even most of the furniture was white, with just a few knick-knacks in different colors to accent the rental's decor. She assumed the owner chose the color white to bring calm and peace to their guests. How she wished she had calm and peace at that moment.

Not even the sound of the ocean waves could give her any relaxation as it used to. That was evidence enough of the turmoil within her. Her overly emotional mind and heart had finally agreed that Harry was _not_ the father of Cho's baby. Rationally, she knew it would have been impossible, but her muddled mind and broken heart refused to accept the fact for a while.

Now that she had established that the pregnancy claim was a farce, she had time to think about the article in _The Daily Prophet_. She told Cho the truth that she was not ashamed of her past because it had made her the woman she was today. It made her stronger, more independent, surer of herself.

For a moment, she was consumed by the fear of what others thought of her. That she was a gold-digging, opportunist, that she was a manipulative social climber. She scoffed at that claim. She abhorred the spotlight too much to even _think_ of such schemes. Her bookshop and the events company were both doing well enough that she could _afford_ whatever she wanted. She didn't need a man to buy her things, she didn't need a man to sustain her, and she most definitely didn't need a man to _provide a good life_ for her son.

She turned towards the beach and saw her son kicking his football on the sand with some other kids. She smiled at the expression her son wore: utterly unbothered by things and just enjoying playing around. Children were lucky, not needing to worry about the world for a long while. Next year though, Ethan would be off to Hogwarts and Hermione would be left alone in London.

Alone. She wouldn't be alone, though. Margarethe was going to be with her, and maybe… Maybe Harry would be there, too. Thinking about Harry caused a little twinge in her heart. She hadn't spoken to him since the day the articles came out. She knew Ethan called him the other day, having checked her call logs when she got back from buying their food. She almost called him several times but in the end, she chickened out.

Hermione had thought that their lives were too different. Harry was famous—a high-profile personality—because of his status as a war hero and a damn good athlete. She was just a simple witch who owned a shop. He was always on the road, travelling from one place to another. She liked staying at home, spending time with Ethan or reading in peace. His lifestyle was full of parties, magazine and newspaper covers, while she preferred to be as far away from the spotlight.

She knew she was being a coward. While what had happened happened because of him, she knew—logically—that it wasn't his fault. He had already threatened that blasted newspaper about printing anything about her and her son. They just violated their agreement and she wondered if Harry had dealt with them. She should call him, tell him she was alright and that she still loved him. Oh, what could be running through his mind since her departure? How she missed him. This had been the longest they had not spoken since they began dating.

"Mum?"

Her son's voice broke through her reverie. "Oh, are you done playing?"

"Yeah, I'm a little hungry," he answered. His hair was mussed and there was sand on his skin and clothes.

Hermione chuckled and stood from her seat. She wrapped her arm around Ethan's shoulder and led him into the house. Once out of sight, she summoned her wand and casted a quick _scourgify_ on the boy.

"Let me whip up a quick lunch, then. What do you feel like eating right now?" She asked him, heading towards the kitchen.

Ethan took a seat at the dining table before he answered. "How about waffles?"

"As you wish! Toppings?" She grabbed the utensils and ingredients she would need, and the waffle maker.

"How about fresh strawberries and chocolate syrup?" Ethan requested, giving her a wide smile.

Hermione laughed. "Well, you're in luck because we have those in stock."

After almost half an hour, she placed a plate of freshly-made waffles, with fresh strawberries and chocolate syrup on top, in front of her son. She placed a plate of plain waffles in front of her, with a side of herbed butter.

"These look amazing, Mum!" Ethan declared before he began eating. Hermione watched her son eat for a moment before she began eating, as well.

"Mum?"

She looked up at Ethan and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Why are we really here?"

Hermione sighed and placed her fork and knife down. She strived to talk to Ethan like an adult as part of raising him. She tried her best to be as honest to him as she could, saving a few things here and there. She guessed it was time for her to come clean to her son.

"I just needed to get away for a while. Things had been a little… overwhelming back in London," she answered him carefully.

"And does that have anything to do with Harry?" He asked.

"Partly. But it's not entirely his fault. He didn't do anything wrong."

"If he didn't do anything wrong, why won't you talk to him?" She really shouldn't be surprised by how smart and observant her son was.

She sighed. "It's a little complicated, Ethan."

"I don't really think it is, Mum. I don't really know why we had to leave London. What I do know is you're sad. And you've been crying. I also know that the only one that can fix whatever it is, it's Harry. You love him, don't you?"

She looked at this ten-year-old boy, wise beyond his years, in astonishment. All she could do was nod.

"I know he loves you, too. And… and he told me he loves me, too," Ethan said shyly.

"He did?"

The boy nodded. "He did. He's been dying to come here, you know. I just told him he can't because you didn't want to see him yet."

"And what did he say?"

"He said he understood. But Mum, I miss him. I miss Teddy, too."

"I miss them, too," she said softly.

"Can we go back home today, Mum?" He asked, his eyes pleading to her.

She thought of what day it was. "Doesn't the Puddlemere United have a game today?"

"Yes!" Ethan answered excitedly.

"Looks like we're going to a game, then."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Almost there, dears! Second to the last chapter. I would like to take this time to thank everyone for the love and support for this fic. It has been awesome. I'm hoping to see everyone again in my future stories (already have a new one in mind.) Anyway, I'll save the rest in the next chapter. LOL. Hope you enjoy this one! :heart:**

* * *

Harry _hated_ waiting.

It took a colossal effort to refrain himself from ringing Hermione again after his conversation with Ethan. He wanted to talk to her, even if she cursed him to hell and back, just so he could hear her voice. But he respected her need for time and space. He didn't think she dumped him just yet, though. He knew she would have told him if that was the case.

So he waited. But she didn't call him the day after he talked to Ethan, and she still didn't call him today. He refused to lose hope, but it did put him in a depressive state. Not the correct mood and mindset to be in when you have an upcoming important game. Still he arrived at the Puddlemere United Stadium bright and early. The sun was out and the skies were clear, as if mocking him for his dreary mood.

His teammates were in high spirits because once they won today's game, they would be moving forward to the semi-finals, propelling them closer to the League cup. And while his personal life was in turmoil, he couldn't let his team down.

He was the first to arrive at the stadium, having left his house quite early. The vastness of his house, along with the silence, pressed onto him and he just couldn't bear it. It seemed like every corner of his house had a memory of Hermione and Ethan attached to them, which only made him miss them more than he already did. When Teddy asked him if they were going to see Hermione and Ethan yesterday, something which had become their habit whenever Harry came back from out of town games, he didn't know what to tell him. The sadness in the boy's eyes nearly broke him in two when Harry told him that they wouldn't see Ethan and Hermione, as they were out of town for a few days. Their day was a little more somber than usual, both feeling the absence of the mother and son.

He didn't know how long he sat in front of his locker, staring into nothing—his mind on the brunette and her equally brunette son—when he heard the door to the locker room opened. He immediately looked up and did his best to tamp down the disappointment he felt when he saw that it was just Ron who entered the room.

"Well, don't look _too_ disappointed," his best friend teased. Ron sat down beside him on the bench and bumped his shoulder with Harry.

"How are you holding up?" The red head inquired. Harry had told Ron about everything that had happened since he arrived home the other day. Ron had flooed to Harry's quite early in the morning, having just seen the newspaper headline and article. Ginny floo called him a few minutes after Ron arrived, asking him about the article in _Witch Weekly_ and was ready to hex his arse, until he adamantly denied fathering anything.

_If I was going to father anything, I know who I'm going to have it with, _he internally mused but resolved never to mention that thought to anyone, especially Hermione.

He flooed his solicitor to discuss _The Daily Prophet's_ breach of contract. His solicitor was only too eager to proceed with the sale and dissolution of the publication. Harry let the solicitor deal with the business of the newspaper, as he still had to deal with_ Witch Weekly_. He didn't have a deal with the magazine like the one he had with _The Daily Prophet_ so he decided to send them a strongly-worded statement, which was also going to be published in _The Quibbler_ that day, denying Cho Chang's claim that he was the father of her unborn child. He also proceeded to call out all publications for printing lies as fact to boost sales, that it seemed like responsible journalism was dead. Should they continue to print lies about him, he would be forced to take drastic measures and it's not going to be pretty. No one wanted to piss off the Saviour of the bloody Wizarding World, though.

"Alright, I guess." He shrugged, staring at the closed lockers across from them.

"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Ron inquired as he looked at his best friend in concern.

Harry shook his head then closed his eyes as his heart ached at the thought of Hermione. He was physically, mentally, and emotionally consumed by how badly he _needed_ to see her. Hear her and hold her close. He prayed to any higher power that listened that after all of what had happened, he and Hermione would still be together.

"She'll call you when she's ready, mate." Ron clapped him on the shoulder. "It's hard to see you like this, Harry, but I'm also happy for you."

Harry stared at him incredulously. "You're happy that I'm miserable?"

Ron rolled his eyes then narrowed his eyes at him. "No, you idiot. I meant I'm happy that you finally found someone to love."

"Let's both hope at the end of all this, I haven't lost her."

"Nah. I'm pretty sure she still loves you. It may not be easy to be Harry Potter's girlfriend but she's a tough one."

Before Harry could respond, the locker room door opened again. He looked up and instantly felt his blood boil, his magic emerged and rippled around him due to his heightened emotions.

Cho Chang walked towards him, a smug smile on her face. Harry and Ron stood at the same time as she approached. Cho stopped a couple of feet away from the two men when Harry spoke.

"You've got some _nerve_ coming here!"

If Cho was affected by his raised and venomous tone, she didn't show it. Keeping the disgusting smug smile, she looked at Harry, then at Ron, then back at Harry.

"Hello to you, too," she greeted him, as if there was nothing wrong.

"Did you actually think anyone would believe your lies?" Harry challenged

"Lies?" Cho asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You and I both know I'm not the father of the child you're carrying. It's easy enough to prove paternity, that is _if_ you're even pregnant, at all."

"It doesn't matter if anyone believed it or not. My plan worked. It got that tart away from you," Cho remarked, waving her hand dismissively.

Something clicked in Harry's mind. "Are you also the one responsible for the article in the _Prophet_?"

"Of course. I don't do things half-baked, Harry. I told her it was never going to work between you and her."

"You told her what?!" Ron bellowed.

"She's a _nobody_. You're not supposed to be with her and you shouldn't waste your time on her bastard son either, Harry," she said, ignoring Ron as if he never spoke.

"Don't you insult Ethan!" Harry roared. "Merlin help me, Cho. I never raise a hand to a woman but you're definitely pushing it."

Cho crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Harry. It's bad enough that you're playing _daddy_ to that werewolf brat, but you also had to play daddy for that little miscreant?"

"Teddy and Ethan have more smarts than you, I can tell you that," Harry murmured then laughed humorlessly. "And who am I supposed to be with? You?" His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, who else? Come on, Harry. Just forget that little incident last year. It was nothing. Let's start over."

"Un-fucking-believable," Ron muttered as he shook his head.

"You have clearly lost your mind if you think I'd ever get back with you." Harry pointed her finger at Cho. "And for your information, Hermione isn't a nobody because she is _everything to me._"

Harry walked towards Cho and stopped just a few steps in front of her. Towering over her, his eyes filled with contempt, he continued. "You're the one who's a nobody. You don't hold a bloody candle to her and you _never will_. You only wish you do. She's worth hundreds—no—thousands of you."

Cho paled and her eyes widened in surprise. "What—"

"_I love her_. And I love her son." Cho's jaw dropped at his declaration. "They're important to me and _I can't lose them_, especially not because of you. And that's something you will never understand because you love only yourself."

Harry walked back to Ron's side and both men looked at her with a mixture of disgust and loathing. "Get out! I _never_ want to see you ever again. And if I see even a strand of your hair anywhere near _my family _again, you better hope I'm not there because you wouldn't want to see the man who _ended_ Voldemort."

"Harry—"

"_Get. Out._" And everyone present knew he didn't mean just the room. Cho jumped, hastily turned around and quickly exited the room.

Harry was breathing heavily as he tried to control his anger and his magic. It took him a few minutes before he felt calm enough to speak.

"Well, that was eventful."

Ron nodded, eyes still fixed on the door. "That's one messed up in the head."

"You can say that again," Harry responded, dropping down heavily on the bench. Though suddenly feeling tired, they still had a game to focus on. Harry'd already done all he could to salvage the situation with the articles published, and he had spoken to Ethan about his feelings. The quaffle was in Hermione's possession now. He just wondered whether she was going to drop it or race towards the goal. All he could do was wait.

* * *

Hermione could hear the crowd's cheers as she and Ethan walked towards the stadium from the apparition point. She was nervous. Her hands were clammy and her heart was pounding in her chest. She didn't know how Harry would react to her being there after being gone for a few days.

"Hermione! You're finally here!" Someone called out to her as they approached the entrance.

She looked up and saw one of the Puddlemere United players' wives, Theresa George, jogging towards her and her son. "Hello, Theresa."

"Where _were_ you? The game has been going on for an hour already!" Theresa grabbed her wrist then began pulling her and Ethan towards the lifts.

"Sorry, we got held up somewhere." Hermione explained vaguely. Hermione was about to say more but was halted by the sight of the last person she wanted or expected to see at the game.

Theresa and Ethan slowed down at the same time she did. She noticed how the other woman was glaring daggers at the person standing in front of them. Heart pounding in her chest, adrenaline pumping through her veins, she discreetly summoned her wand to her hand then turned to her companions.

"Theresa, you and Ethan go ahead. I'll deal with this," Hermione instructed the other.

"Are you sure?" Theresa asked her, not taking her eyes of the intruder. She took Ethan's hand in hers as Hermione nodded in response.

"Go with your Aunt Theresa, little man. I'll be along behind you in a bit," she told the young boy. Ethan looked at his mother with concern, he looked at the person blocking their way, then back up at Hermione.

"Mum—"

Hermione kissed him on the forehead then gently pushed him and Theresa forward. "Go, darling. I'll be fine. Go on."

The woman and child gave her a last look before hurrying to the lifts. Hermione watched them until she was sure they were safely tucked into one of the lifts.

"Well, you're braver than I thought you would be. Or stupider. Take your pick," Cho Chang spoke with contempt.

"I wonder which one of us is the stupid one. It would take more than a cruel and bitter witch like you to scare me away," Hermione retorted.

"I almost succeeded, didn't I? You _left_ and you should have _stayed_ away," the other woman said.

Hermione shook her head. "And leave you and your disgusting claws anywhere near _my man_? You had your chance with him, Cho, and you blew it spectacularly. Harry's not some _toy_ that you can throw away when you're tired of it then pick it up again when you feel like playing with it!" Her ire for the other woman had reached it's all time high.

"And you think you're a better replacement? For me?" Cho taunted.

"I am no one's replacement, Cho. Harry loves _me_, not you. And he told me he never did. I would advise you to just accept it and move on."

"No! You ruined everything!"

It was a good thing Hermione never took her eyes away from Cho. Or else she would not have seen the moment Cho raised her wand and began casting. Her reflexes reacted and she immediately put up a shield charm to block whatever curse Cho was going to hurl at her.

"_Protego!"_

"_Stupefy!"_

Hermione cast just a moment earlier than Cho and it made all the difference. She watched as the red hex flew towards her and just as her shield came up, the hex bounced off it and was sent back to it's caster. Cho didn't have enough time to dodge the spell and was hit straight in the chest. She was propelled backwards a few feet before landing on the floor.

After she watched Cho hit the ground unconscious, only then did she notice that Theresa had come back down and was standing by the lifts.

They both looked at the unconscious woman before Hermione sent a messenger spell to the medics within the stadium.

"Are you alright, hun?" Theresa asked her as she approached Hermione.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied. And surprisingly, she truly was fine. While the confrontation was completely unexpected, it didn't rattle her as much as she thought it would. Cho was a threat to her, to her family's happiness, and she had to be dealt with sooner or later.

Theresa checked Hermione for any sign of injuries and nodded when she didn't find any. They both turned when they heard footsteps coming from within the stadium.

"What happened here?" A mediwitch asked as she looked down at the unconscious woman then to Hermione and Theresa.

"My friend was attacked by that woman," Theresa spoke up before Hermione did. Two of the mediwizards knelt on either side of Cho. One scanned her vitals while the other conjured a stretcher under her.

"This is Cho Chang!" One of the mediwizards exclaimed. "Didn't she say she was pregnant or something?" All three medics turned to look at Hermione with wide eyes. She shared a look with her companion before she spoke.

"Yes. And I'm Hermione Granger. I would appreciate it if you could check if she's alright and keep her unconscious until after the game. I don't want her to cause any more trouble around here for now. I'll be filing a formal complaint against her to the aurors soon."

The three medics shared a glance before one of them scanned Cho. They all waited in bated breath for the scan to finish.

"Well," the mediwizard that did the scan. "She's fine, no concussion that needed to be addressed. And also—"

"And?" The mediwitch prompted when the wizard paused. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Well, I scanned her stomach, trying to see if her unborn child was fine after the altercation. And uh, there's—there's no fetus."

"So you mean she's not pregnant, at all?" The other mediwizard asked and got a nod.

"Bugger me," the mediwitch muttered.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Yes, well, now we all know she was lying in the papers. If you would be so kind as to accommodate my request? I have a game to catch."

"Oh, right!" The medics sprang to action and levitated Cho's stretcher.

"We'll have her in the infirmary for the time being. You can drop by there when the game is over."

"Thank you," Hermione said, the tension leaving her shoulders, letting her relax a bit.

Hermione and Therese watched them walk back into the stadium before heading towards the lifts.

Riding the lift up to the stands, she mentally went through all the things she should say to Harry and every possible scenario that could happen when they finally saw they saw each other. Hermione was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the ding of the lift, indicating they had reached their destination.

"Come on, hun," Theresa coaxed her out of the lift and led her to the VIP box.

"How's the game, so far?"

"It's alright. They're up by 30 but it's clear that Harry's a bit… distracted." Theresa glanced sideways at her, a gleam in her eyes. "Everyone who knows Harry could see it, you know."

Hermione couldn't keep the blush from creeping from her neck to her face. She also felt guilty for likely being one of the reasons why he was preoccupied during the game. While this was not the longest that Harry had not yet caught the snitch, it's definitely one of the rare times the game had lasted more than an hour when he was playing.

Hermione wondered if everyone had seen the articles the other day. _They probably have_, she thought miserably.

"You know we never believed a single word that Chang tart said in that article, right?" Theresa asked as if she read Hermione's mind. Without waiting for Hermione to respond, she continued. "Because we don't. Aside from the fact that it's not in Harry's nature to cheat, he would never ever do that to the woman he loves."

Hermione turned towards the other woman, her eyes wide in surprise. "You think so?"

Theresa smiled at her smugly. "Think what? He would never cheat or that he loves you? Everyone and their mother know that Harry has never looked quite so happy as he is now, and we know you and your little boy have something to do with it."

Before they entered the VIP box, Theresa held Hermione back for a moment.

"I could only guess what happened between you and Harry when that rubbish came out, but you gotta trust your heart. And you also have to trust Harry's. Everything's gonna be fine." Theresa didn't wait for Hermione's reply as she moved to her seat, waving at her to take the seat in front of her, where Ethan was watching and cheering.

… _trust your heart. And you also have to trust Harry's,_ Theresa's words played in Hermione's mind as she took her seat. It was what she had decided to do upon leaving East Sussex earlier but it was nice to hear the idea reinforced.

Hermione decided to stop thinking and just focus on watching Harry fly. She could see what Therese was saying earlier, he _was_ distracted. His reaction and reflexes were slower than usual, his eyes weren't as quick as before, and there was a certain tension to his shoulders.

She wished there was something she could do to help him but she could only stand there and watch, stuck in the stands. She prayed to any higher power that Harry snapped out of whatever funk he was in because they needed to win this game. All she could do was cheer him on, and she would cheer him on with all her heart.

She cupped her hands and shouted. "Go Harry!"

* * *

He wasn't having a good game.

He had chased the Snitch across the stadium only to lose sight of it _again_. He told himself earlier that he was going to leave his problems in the locker rooms and would only focus on the game. Sadly, that was easier said than done. It's like every few minutes, his mind would wander to thoughts of Hermione, wondering where she was, if she was alright, or if she was still angry at him. While the other team's Seeker was competent enough, Harry was still better than him even while being distracted.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts then carefully directed his broom up higher so he could begin looking for the Snitch again. As he hovered above the ongoing game, he felt a certain pull. He frowned at the sensation, his eyebrows drawing together for a second. He knew that sensation, instantly recognizing it. He only felt it when—

Harry frantically looked around the stands, looking for a familiar mane of curly brunette hair. He leaned forward and began flying around the stadium. The crowds began cheering loudly, probably assuming he had found the Snitch. His heart hammered away in his chest, as if it wanted to burst out of his chest, his breathing fast and heavy.

_There!_ He immediately halted his broom mid-air, his eyes fixed on the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Hermione was there, jumping up and down, screaming who-knows-what at the top of her lungs. Just as he was about to direct his broom towards her, the Golden Snitch flew past him, heading downwards. For a split second, he was torn between going after the damn thing and going to Hermione. But he heard her voice even when everyone else was shouting, as well.

"Go Harry! Catch it and win!"

He gave her a quick nod before following where the Snitch had gone. The other Seeker was coming from the other side of the stadium and they both knew he wasn't going to make it. Harry flew down as fast as his broom could go, his arm outstretched and ready to catch the elusive flying ball.

He let out a breath of relief when he felt the cool metal and fluttering wings against his skin. He pulled the handle on his broom as hard as he could, changing directions just a few feet above the ground. He heard the crowd gasp collectively then erupt in cheers as he rose higher, the Golden Snitch in his raised hand. Before his teammates could congregate on him, he once again directed his boom towards the stand where Hermione was.

As he flew closer, he saw Hermione and Ethan running towards the edge of the box, wide smiles on their faces.

"You did it!" "You won!" Mother and son cheered simultaneously. They moved back a little when Harry moved to dismount his broom. He stood in front of Hermione, randomly thinking how she was half a foot shorter than he was. They stared at each other for what felt like a lifetime. All the noise from the crowd quieted, like they were far away from the bubble around Harry and Hermione.

"You're here," he said, wonder and elation clear in his voice.

"Of course, Harry. Where else would I be?"

Harry barely let her finish her sentence before he grabbed the back of her neck and drew her lips to his. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her tightly against him. He kissed her like he had never kissed her before, with all the bursting passion and longing he felt for her. The woman he loved. He never wanted to stop kissing her, never wanted to be away from her ever again. Their forced separation had been painful in every single way and he didn't want to experience that anytime soon, or even at all.

"Ahem!" A young voice faked cough, shattering Harry's thoughts about kissing Hermione nonstop.

He chuckled as he moved back, breaking the kiss. He couldn't help the smug smile from growing on his lips as he saw the dazed look on her face and her thoroughly-kissed lips. He didn't let go of Hermione's waist as he turned towards the boy who was sporting a disgusted look on his face.

"Sorry, little man. Just got a bit excited," he said unapologetically.

"Harumph! I know you're not sorry at all," Ethan returned as he crossed his arms, doing his best to look stern.

"No, I'm definitely not."

Hermione woke from her snog-induced daze and slapped Harry on the arm. She tried to glare at him but he could also see she was fighting the smile on her lips, lips that he wanted to taste again. Putting that thought out of his mind—for now—Harry let go of Hermione and knelt in front of Ethan. He opened his arms and didn't have to wait long before the little boy wrapped his own small arms around Harry's neck. Harry hugged Ethan tightly, his eyes closed as he savoured the moment.

"Thank you," he whispered.

A nod was all the response Harry got before Ethan straightened up and moved back from the hug. Harry gave him another smile before he stood up, as well.

"I'll just be over there with the other kids," the boy said before leaving the adults without waiting for a reply. Harry and Hermione chuckled at his antics and followed him with their eyes, making sure he was with the other kids in the box.

Harry once again wrapped his arms around Hermione, turning her to face him.

"Hi."

A soft smile took residence on her face. "Hello."

"I love you. I love you, Hermione. So, _so_ much. And I'm sorry about Cho, about—" Hermione placed a finger on his lips to stop his rambling.

"I love you, too, Harry," she whispered. "And I'm sorry. I should have trusted you, your love. I shouldn't have left, I—"

Harry shook his head. "No, no. I completely understand. Those articles wouldn't have been there if it weren't for me. It's my fault."

"No, Harry." Her tone was gentle but firm. "It wasn't your fault. I—I didn't trust in you love, _in us_, enough. And that's my fault. You were as much a victim here as I was." She raised a hand and caressed his cheek tenderly.

Harry, instinctively, leaned into her touch, having craved it during her absence. He breathed in her intoxicating scent, something that was uniquely her. This was what he wanted for the rest of his life. He moved his head forward and leaned his forehead against hers.

"I never want to be without you again, Hermione. These past two days felt like a lifetime. Please don't do that again," he pleaded.

"I know. It was hard being away from you, too." She dragged her fingers softly, from his cheeks, to his jaw, and down his neck. "I'm sorry for being a coward, love. I won't run away again."

Harry shivered at her touch. And just like that, everything he had gone through during her absence these past two days melted away.

"I love you." He felt like he needed to tell her again. He decided he would tell her he loved her at least once everyday for the rest of his life.

"I love you, too," she replied and he could hear the happiness in her voice. And he knew, no matter what would come their way in the future, they would face it all together and they would always have each other.

* * *

As much as she wanted to stay in Harry's arms, she teased Harry that he smelled and needed to take a shower. Besides, they had things to settle before they were supposed to go out and celebrate their win earlier. They had spent an ample amount of time in the VIP box with the other players' families before they headed back down. They left Ethan with Theresa and the other kids, saying they would be following after.

Harry and Hermione, arms wrapped around each other's back, walked side by side along the corridor that led to the locker rooms, the corridor where their fateful meeting occurred months ago. It felt like a lifetime ago. _Probably because we've been through a lot in such a short time_, Hermione mused. Thankfully, it would seem that the interviews with the players and coach were already done so the corridor was empty.

"I need to tell you something," Hermione spoke when they stopped before the locker room door.

"What is it?"

"When I arrived, Cho was here."

"Bloody hell!" Harry cursed. "I told that blasted woman to leave! Did she do something to you? Are you hurt—" He started rambling, looking her over for signs of injuries, just like what Theresa had done earlier.

"Harry, love, I'm fine. We had an exchange of words and, well, spells but I'm alright. I'm not sure about her, though," Hermione explained, a victorious smile appeared on her lips.

"Really?" Harry asked, astounded.

"Hey, I told you I can take care of myself."

"Oh, I know. You've told me too many times," Harry teased before he grew serious again. "So what happened?"

Hermione told Harry about her earlier altercation with Cho and what they discovered when the mediwizards scanned her.

"Even if she was pregnant, you and I both know it's not mine. So that would have been easily resolved," Harry countered. "What now?"

"I asked the medics to keep her there until the game is over so she doesn't cause any more trouble." Hermione tapped her chin as she thought. "I do want to file a formal complaint about her, though."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead tenderly. "Of course, we will. After all the trouble she caused us, that's only the beginning of her comeuppance for being a deranged witch."

"Well, I can't completely blame her. I mean, you are a_ catch_."

Harry scoffed. "Right. If there's anyone who's the perfect catch here, it's _you_, love. And I caught you."

Hermione shook her head and laughed, then buried her face on his chest. How she had missed being in his arms. They made her feel safe, cherished, _loved_. It was one of her favorite places on earth, and she was looking forward to being surrounded by Harry's arms and warmth for a long, long time.

"Ugh. You really need that shower, Potter."

* * *

"Whew. The kids are finally down," Hermione said as she stepped out of Teddy's room in Harry's home, closing the door behind her.

"Good. I don't know why that party after the game didn't wear out those two. I know it wiped _me_ out," Harry replied before yawning.

Hermione stepped into Harry's space and put her hands on his chest. She gave him the most seductive look Harry had ever seen on her that it instantly caused heat to go through him, his cock reacting immediately. Hermione looked down and brushed a speck of imaginary dirt from his left pec.

"Does that mean you're already _too_ tired?" She asked him with a tiny bit of pout.

Instead of answering, Harry grabbed the back of her head and pulled her to him. He kissed her with the same amount of passion and longing he had felt earlier at the stadium, leaving both of them breathless when they separated.

"Does that answer your question?" He returned before kissing her again. He grabbed the back of her thighs, hoisted her up, and walked towards the direction of the master bedroom. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kisses with the same intensity.

Harry kicked the door of his bedroom closed and deposited Hermione in the middle of his bed. Clothes began flying as the couple hastily removed them, needing to feel the other's skin next to theirs.

"Merlin, I missed you," Hermione whispered as Harry kissed a trail from her lips, down her neck and shoulders, to the swell of her breasts. He licked the skin around one breast and the other before taking one hardened bud in his mouth. The sensation he was causing as he tongued and lightly bit on her nipples caused her to arch and writhe against him while creating the most erotic sounds he had ever heard.

After giving her nipples ample attention, he returned to his trek down her delectable body. He kissed every patch of skin he could reach with his lips and tongue, and caressed those he couldn't. He finally reached the apex of her thighs but decided to shower her amazing legs with more of his attention.

"Harry, please…" Oh, he could never get enough of her begging. It's a rare moment to have such a strong and independent woman like Hermione begging you for something and he just wanted to fulfill every need and desire she had. He hooked the sides of her black, lacy knickers and dragged them down her legs. Before she could say anything else, he attached his mouth on her pussy lips, licking and sucking her essence like a thirsting man discovering water for the first time. Hermione moaned loudly, one hand grabbing his hair while the other clutched the sheets tightly.

He watched her as he licked her clit while inserting two fingers in her pussy. He doubled his efforts as he wanted to bring Hermione to completion by his mouth and fingers before finally being inside her. It took just a few more strokes before she cried out her release. Harry didn't relent his onslaught on her nether regions, trying to prolong her gratification.

Harry felt a slight tug on his hair. "Oh, Harry," she panted.

He moved upwards so she could look at him face to face. She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, her cheeks flushed red, and her hair sticking to her sweaty skin. She was a picture of satisfaction and Harry felt the immense pride of being the one to give her that.

Hermione swiped a finger on his chin to swipe some of her nectar off him and completely surprised him by putting the same finger in her mouth. Harry groaned at the sight and his erection grew _harder_. He couldn't believe he could be any harder than he already was but watching Hermione taste herself just amped his desire for this woman beneath him.

Harry wiped the rest of her juices before crashing his lips on hers. He nudged her knees wider and positioned himself between her legs, groaning when his cock touched her wet center. He rubbed himself on her wet slit, making them both moan. He ended the kiss and moved slightly away from her for a moment. Hermione must have wondered why he stopped because she opened her eyes and looked at him in concern. He gave her a soft smile before kissing her tenderly on her forehead, on the tip of her nose, both cheeks, and her chin.

"I love you, Hermione," he told her, conveying all his feelings of love.

"I love you, too," she answered, mirroring his emotions.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Hell, yes."

He didn't need to be told twice. Harry entered her steady and slow, savouring the feeling of being inside her again. As her warmth surrounded him, he thought again that he could do this with Hermione for the rest of his life.

_Every time just keeps getting better, _he thought silently as he sheathed himself to the hilt.

"So good," he muttered as he began moving inside her. "I missed you so much."

Harry wanted to prolong their lovemaking but he couldn't keep the slow pace anymore so he began fucking her harder, faster. Hermione moaned in agreement to the change of pace. Her moans were getting louder and her grip on his shoulder tightened.

"I won't last long, Harry," she told him, her breathing heavy.

"Let go, love. I'm right here."

And let go, she did. Her orgasm was so powerful that it pushed Harry over the edge, as well. He wasn't sure how long their orgasm took but when he couldn't come anymore, he dropped his whole body beside Hermione's.

"Wow," Hermione murmured as she stared at the ceiling, panting just as much as Harry was. "Maybe I should go away more often so that sex would be like that all time."

Harry hastily whipped his head towards her, a frown on his face. "Don't even think about it!"

She looked at him with a glint in her eyes and a teasing smile. "Of course, I'm only kidding."

She turned her whole body towards him, her expression sombre. "I—I hated being away from you, Harry. I hated every minute of it."

Harry turned to her, as well, raising his hand to cup her cheek. "Me too. Let's not let that happen again, alright? When you're having problems or someone causing you trouble, tell me. We'll work it out. We've done that so well before."

Hermione closed her eyes as she kissed his palm then rested her hand over his. "I know. I promise to tell you when something is bothering me."

Harry nodded then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him as he settled himself.

"Good. Now that I've caught you, I'm never letting you go."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Here we are at the end! I know, I know. Some of you want to see what happened to Cho. I feel like it'll mess up the way the story was going if I added that in. That said**** I will write about it in a one-shot soon. Again, thank you to everyone who followed and supported this story. I am both happy and sad that this story is coming to an end. I hope those of you who have been reading TPC would continue to read my future stories. Again, thank you to TyrannicPuppy for his love for this fic. And to everyone, really! Till next time!**

* * *

_**Two weeks later**_

The crowds' cheer was deafening. He'd been here before and he could never get used to the overwhelming feeling of love and support of the fans for the sport, especially for his team and his teammates. The cheers usually fueled his enthusiasm and drive to win the game, but there was a slight difference this time around.

Among the crowd was the one that drove him now. Her support and love were all he needed to push him to win this championship. She made him want to be a better man, not just for her, but for the two kids that looked up to and rely on him. She made him strive for the best and never be afraid to grasp his happiness—which was her, her son, and his godson.

He turned towards the stands where he knew she was with the kids. He didn't have to look for too long because, just like before, his magic pulled on hers. He found her easily enough and gave her a small wave. She gave him a winsome smile and blew a kiss at him. He pretended to catch it and placed his closed fist on his heart.

"Stop mooning over your woman and start looking for the Snitch, Potter!" Ron Weasley, his best mate, shouted at him from his right, where he was guarding the goalposts.

"Whatever, Weasley. You're just jealous!" Harry laughed before he flew away without waiting for Ron to respond. He looked at the giant clock that timed the game. They were only 15 minutes into the game, so Harry resumed his search for the Snitch. He wanted to finish it quickly so he could spend more time with his family.

As he thought of the word _family_, a wide, goofy smile emerged on his face. He couldn't wait to make it official. And he would, soon. He just had to catch the Snitch first, win the game, and get the League Cup this season.

He heard a buzzing sound on his left. He turned to see the Golden Snitch hovering near one of the stands. He abruptly changed directions and headed towards the location of the flying golden ball. When it realized that one of the Seekers had found it, it moved and began to fly around the stadium. As Harry chased after the Golden Snitch, the other Seeker caught up on his right. The other Seeker tried to derail Harry's pursuit of the Snitch but he wasn't the youngest and the best Seeker of the league for nothing.

Their goal points were close, with Puddlemere only leading with 20 points. But once Harry caught the Snitch, it would cement their win and the championship. The other Seeker began elbowing him and he ducked when he heard the whizzing of the Bludger heading his way. Unfortunately, the other Seeker didn't and was hit on the side of his body. Harry looked to his right and saw the other man hanging down his broom.

He ignored the other Seeker and continued following the Snitch. He leaned forward, almost flat on his broomstick, so he could accelerate faster. The Snitch's direction changed, flying up and down, trying to lose the player chasing after it. But now that Harry was on its trail, he was like a dog with a bone. He flew crazily around the stadium, he could only imagine the scare he was giving Hermione right now.

When he thought he was close enough, he reached out his arm to grab the Snitch.

"Come on. Come on. Come on." He kept repeating as his fingers grazed the casing of the Golden Snitch. In pure instinct, he pushed his legs against his broom, moving him forward. He quickly closed his fist around the flying ball just as he almost lost his balance on the broom. The crowds gasped at his movement and he was able to right himself just in time. He laughed as he did a loop in the air with his arm raised, the Golden Snitch fluttering its wings wildly in his hand.

"POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! PUDDLEMERE UNITED IS THIS SEASON'S NEW LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!" The shout caster announced, his voice carrying beyond the stadium walls.

The crowd exploded and confetti cannons went off around the stadium with blue and yellow coloured papers flying about. He'd barely landed on the grass before his teammates were upon him.

"HELL YEAH!" Ron screamed as the team jumped on him.

"Bloody awesome catch, Potter!" Robinson Puck shouted as he put Harry in a headlock. All the pushing and pulling among the teammates caused them to fall on the ground in a heap. He didn't mind that the others were on top of him as they were all laughing and cheering.

Armond Lewis, the Puddlemere United coach, stood by the pile of bodies of his team with a stern look on his face. As every player looked at him, he broke into a small and rare smile. "Good job, team. Are you going to stay there on the grass all night or are we getting that damned trophy?"

* * *

Hermione and Harry agreed to meet at _Firepit_ after the game. As champions, he and the team had to do press interviews and photo ops before they could leave the Quidditch stadium to celebrate. Seamus had closed the restaurant to host the private party, whether the team won the championship or not. But since they did, the party was going to be livelier and crazier that night.

She arrived at the restaurant with Ethan, Teddy, and Andi. The Weasley family arrived just after they did. The family and friends of the Puddlemere United team were beginning to fill up the place, drink and _hor d'oeuvres_ were being served around. She settled both kids with the other players' children and went about to mingle with everyone. Hermione saw her best friend, Margarethe, just entered the establishment. Hermione smiled at the sight of Neville's arm wrapped around the blonde woman's shoulders.

"Hermione!" Margarethe called to her, waving her arm.

"Hey, you two!" Hermione greeted and kissed their cheeks as she approached them.

"Are they here yet?" Neville asked, craning his head to look around.

Hermione shook her head. "No, they're not here yet. You're just in time."

The players arrived ten minutes after that and the party blasted off right then. They barely had a moment alone but it was fine with Hermione because Harry deserved to celebrate their win and to enjoy the night with their loved ones. Every time they went to speak with other people, Harry would be touching her. Whether it's an arm around her shoulders or his hand clutching hers, he made sure that they kept a form of contact with each other. She wasn't sure but their forced separation might have contributed to his new clinginess. She didn't mind, of course, as she liked being near him, as well.

Hermione told him she would just check on the kids and he relented easily. After checking that the children were all right and that nothing was amiss, she stepped out of the room to the small veranda at the front of the restaurant. She took a deep breath of the autumn season and savoured the chilly temperature. She thought about how different her life was a year ago, today. If someone told her back then she would be where she was now, in love with the most amazing man, she would have thought them crazy and would recommend them to have themselves checked.

A familiar voice interrupted her musings. "Hey, love. I was looking all over for you."

She turned to see Harry leaning on the door frame, arms crossed but smiling at her. She returned his smile. "Sorry, I had to step out for a bit. It was getting a bit warm and stuffy inside with all the people."

"I know." He stepped out and reached for her hand. "You okay, though?"

Hermione tilted her head. "Of course, I am. Why do you ask?"

Harry gave her a half-shrug. "Nothing. Just making sure, I guess. I noticed you've been somewhat quiet all night."

She wrapped her arms around one of his, turned them towards the door and began walking back inside. "I'm perfectly fine, love. Nothing to worry about."

"Let's get one thing straight here, love. I will _always_ worry about you," he argued.

Hermione rolled her eyes. _I could only imagine how he's going to be when he finds out about my news,_ she pondered.

"Well, back at you. Now, let's get back to the party and have some fun, yeah?"

"Yes, ma'am."

They went around mingling with the people in the party again, but by this time, some of the guests had already left and it was getting quite a bit late.

"Here ya go, darling," Seamus said as he offered her a glass of red wine.

"Oh, no thank you, Seamus. I'll just have a glass of water." She gave an apologetic smile and when she turned to look at Harry, there was a frown on his face.

"That's your favorite wine, Hermione. I've never seen you refuse at least one glass and all night tonight you've refused every offer," he said in a low voice, the worry was back in his voice.

Hermione didn't realize how closely he'd been observing her all night, assuming he was busy entertaining their family and friends. She had wanted to tell him in private but she guessed she had to change her plans.

"Well," she began slowly. "The doctor said pregnant women can't have any kinds of alcohol, so I'll have to give up wine for a while," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

You could have heard a pin drop with how silent the room had become after her statement. She looked around the remaining guests in the restaurant as they stared dumbly at her. She had to keep herself from bursting out laughing from the looks on their faces. She looked back at Harry whose mouth had fallen open.

"Close your mouth, Harry. It's quite unsightly," she teased him.

Harry snapped out of his stupor and blinked once. "WHAT?!"

His yell caused everyone else to start talking and cheering, while he was still staring dumbly at her.

"P–pregnant?" He clarified.

Hermione chuckled then nodded. "Yes. I went to the doctor yesterday because I missed my period. I'm 6 weeks pregnant, give or take."

The smile that grew on Harry's face could only compete with the smile he gave her after she told him she loved him, too. She filed it away as one of her favorite Harry smiles. Then he began to laugh as he circled his arms around her and spun her around.

"Harry! You're going to make us dizzy and fall down!" Hermione admonished him through her own laughter.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" He put her down gently then turned towards the people closest to him.

"Did you hear?! I'm going to be a dad!" He shared excitedly. Catching sight of Teddy and Ethan, Harry winked and added, "Again."

Hermione watched him as he approached almost everyone in the room, sharing the news of her pregnancy even though she was sure everyone had heard her statement earlier. She waited for Harry to come back to her and when he did, he wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispered against her ear. His breath caused a shiver to go through her.

"For what?" She breathed.

"For being the best catch of my life."

She stood on her toes and gave him a slow, lingering kiss.

"And you were mine."

_**FIN**_


End file.
